A Kind of Magick
by DhampyrX2
Summary: Oh gods and goddesses, now I've gone and begun a Harry Potter cross with my own usual grey-skewed flair. Well, enjoy, I guess.
1. Part 1

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 & 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

It had all started simply enough for Alexander Lavelle Harris. Willow had suffered a major meltdown after Tara's death, and had tried to destroy the world to end everyone's pain. Xander, brotherly loving dope that he was, stepped into her stream of power to stop her, and then talked her down. From there, Giles wanted to take her back to England to a coven he knew to help Willow recover. Of course, Xander went along. After all, witches in Britain could equal the Ministry, and he had some serious strings he was going to pull before he was letting some stuffy tweed mongers condemn his Willow and try to toss her into some magical dimension for who knew how long. Xander already had a relative that lived through that hell, and he wasn't letting it happen to Willow.

God alone knew he didn't blame her for the one death she really caused, and therefore the only major crime she might have been tried to successfully. If he had reached Warren Meers first, despite what he might have told Buffy to placate her, skinning would have been the most merciful route the man could have taken to his demise, and Xander wouldn't have immolated his body out of it's pain nearly so soon doing it. Oh no, Meers would have suffered for touching one of Xander's girls. Still, the point was he had to check things out for Willow sake.

Much to his relief, the coven members were pure Wicca, connected to the Earth mother and everything, and not Ministry sanctioned Witches. His Willow could be safe there as she learned to temper her powers as she couldn't learning under the weight of the Hellmouth and nearly bi-annual apocalypses, or was that apocali? Only a Scooby could wonder that in his head and have it mean so much.

Regardless of how it all should have shaken down, the important thing was Willow was safe, and Xander was taking a few days of R&R sans G-man in London to clear his head. The mess with everything from Ahn, to Buffy, to discovering both screwing Spike (who was disturbing for reasons Xander would never want to share with them), to his Willow's meltdown had left the Cordelia-proclaimed Zeppo close to his own burnout and needing a few days to unwind.

He really should have known better than to risk thinking about enjoying himself specifically. Six years of fighting on the mouth of Hell should have taught him something by now. _Xander you idiot, it's bad enough to let your guard down...but to do it where you have family to get into the mix? You really are special needs sometimes_, he berated himself mentally at the sight of the freaking owl in the windowsill of his hotel room.

He took the message from the Owl's foot with a scowl on his face as he grumbled at the bird to get inside of it wanted a drink while he read the message...

**Hey Squib,**

**Heard you were in the area and wanted to meet you for a pint or two. We have matters we /need/ to talk about. Oh, and Aunt 'Cissa wants to talk too. You know if she acknowledged she knows me it's important.**

**Love,**

**Cousin Tonks**

"Shit," Xander summed up with an air of defeat as he read the message for the third time. If cousin Nymphadora Tonks the Auror, and Aunt Narcissa Black - Malfoy the damned Death Eater (although she wasn't into it as much as his uncle Lucius, commonly called 'the arsemunch' by he and Tonks when they were younger) both wanted to speak with him, then things were going to get UGLY. Even Hellmouthy. "Well at least Aunt Bell didn't call. That might give me a heart attack," Xander added with a sigh as he sat down to write out his reply.

**Sprite,**

**I'll meet you at the park down the street from my hotel tonight at seven. I'm not dumb enough to think you don't know where I'm staying. You come here on your own a minute early; I swear I'll be naked and dancing in ways that could horrify even you.**

**Love,**

**Xander.**

Xander sent the bird off with the message as soon as it was done; thankful Tonks had remembered to send a capsule that did not need to be shrunk magickally in any way. "Well, I've got a few hours to kill," he mused aloud as he looked at the clock on the wall that read 3:00. "I wonder just how much I can find to worry about in that amount of time?"

* * *

At seven precisely, Xander was sitting at a bench in the park, still fretting over just what his nutjob Witch-cop of a cousin could want. If she thought he was taking her to collect Willow, then she better be in for a practical demonstration of just how much Black Xander had truly inherited from his disowned squib of a mother, and he didn't mean with the mojo potential.

"Care to buy a posey for whateva lovely your waitin' on Govena'?" a young woman with a basket of individually wrapped flowers asked after Xander had been waiting for fifteen minutes.

Instead of replying to the question, or even looking at the vendor, Xander just sighed and tiredly said, "You're late, and I can still see through your disguises, Sprite. I didn't grow out of it, no matter how much training you went through. And you can buy your own damned flowers for your own damned self without trying to trick me."

Nymphadora Tonks was taken back by the cold tone of the only son of her youngest aunt, Jessica Black-Harris. Alex had always tried to be jovial and fun loving around her on the rare times circumstances allowed them to visit. Even if things were downright awful, she never thought she see him looking so...beaten. Still, she tried to lift his spirits as she smirked saucily and retorted, "That's, Nymph, short for Nymphadora, not Sprite, Lavelle, and you should still call me Tonks."

Xander raised his right brow lightly as he chuckled half-heartedly and replied, "I'll call you Tonks the day I stop calling Puff, Puff."

Tonks rolled her eyes as she sat down beside her cousin and chuckled. "You know he hates that," she informed him in confidential tones.

Xander shrugged as he responded, "His name is Draco, which means dragon, and he's a Wizard who does magick, so he's Puff the Magic Dragon until the day I die."

"Nice to see your sour mop disposition hasn't dulled your humor," the Auror shot back with a nudge to his shoulder and a grin.

Xander did not meet her humor as he looked her dead in the eyes and stated, "You, a cop for a law enforcement agency I /barely/ respect, and Aunt Cissa, who's /anything/ but on the happy side of the laws you're upholding, no matter how much she covers her ass in the face of the Arsemunch's stupidity for Moldybutt's cause, have actually talked to /each other/ about speaking to me. I live on a portal to a Hell dimension, Sprite. I know glaring signs that say 'REALLY BAD THINGS AHEAD' when I read them. Nothing that has both of your attentions that needs /my/ uneducated input is of the good. So tell me what's up so I can either help, ignore you and try to play happy family, or leave before I say something we'll both regret depending on your topics."

Tonks wanted to take offense to his attitude. She really did. He was acting every bit the haughty bastard her aunt Bellatrix would have applauded, had she been willing to admit she had a youngest sister who was a squib, much less a nephew through him. But she couldn't do it. Not with that haunted, sunken look in his eyes. Her cousin was running on fumes and anyone who knew him could see it. God, it made her want to hug the life out of him and promise everything would be alright as she looked into the dead pools that were so often shining with inner fire. "Well, first off, I know you're worried about your Wicca friend that went off. I imagine that has your knickers twisted a bit from worryin' I'll ask you to help me take her in. Truth is, we have nothin' to do with her as of right now. It happened on the Hellmouth, and that's no man's land for the Ministry. Even if it wasn't, it would be the American Ministry's call, not ours, so you don't have to look at me like I'm the boogey-man here," she began earnestly.

"Cousin, after what that bastard did and was trying to do, all I can say is he's lucky Willow found him first. I'd have made Grandma and Grandpa proud with what I wanted to do to him," Xander responded with an icy tone.

Tonks did her best to suppress the shiver his tone elicited. What the hell had she let happen to him in that dreadful town to forge steel like that in his demeanor. Xander just wasn't supposed to be that openly ruthless, no matter how bad things got. Secretly that ruthless, perhaps, as someone of long standing Slytherin stock could be; but not openly in front of her. "Alex..." she fretted, as she reached out to touch his face tentatively.

"Just leave it, T'. It's been a bad three or four years. I really need some down time before I pop," she hollowly replied. "I've reached a point in my life where I need to figure out a plural to 'apocalypse'. Trust when I say I have stress issues," he continued as he closed his eyes, as if trying to banish the remembered strains by will alone.

"Well, then consider it shelved. At least to the point you're willing to talk to me. Maybe it will relieve a bit of the pressure?" she offered after a moment to brush a stray lock of hair out of Xander's eyes.

Xander looked cautious as he hedged, "Tell me what else is going down, then we'll see."

"Well, I know your watcher friend gets enough updates from the Council that you keep up on things here without much trouble. Plus I do still try to owl you when I can, so things there are pretty filled in..." Tonks began, her light English brogue tinges with thinly veiled worry.

Xander nodded along as he said, "I can already hear the 'but' here, and it's not the kind that leaves itself open to fart jokes, T'."

"Well...it involves the Order. Certain things are coming to a head, things politics won't let me address properly, but that you might be able to sneak about with," she explained.

Xander closed his eyes and tried to center himself before he opened them and looked his cousin in the eye again as he prompted, "Just come out and say what you need to, Nymphadora."

Tonks flinched at the use of her proper first name, surprisingly even more for the weary tone Xander took than the actual vocalization of the hated moniker, as she nodded and responded, "Draco's seventeen. We both know what will happen this year."

Xander growled under his breath at the thought as he nodded in return and spat, "He-Who-Should-Not-Name-Big-Bad-Minions-Because-He-Sucks-At-It wants to make Puff a pawn the same as everyone else in our family but you and I."

Tonks held in her giggle for a moment at Xander's reply. It was clear his trials had put the common fear Voldemort garnered in the Wizarding World in a new light for her muggle-raised cousin. Her demeanor was still serious, though, as she replied, "It's almost time for him to take the mark. I'm terrified for him, Xander. I know I was never allowed to get close to him, but still..."

"He's family," Xander finished for her as he nodded in agreement to her sentiment. The only contact either had with anyone else in the Black clan was through the erratic meetings Aunt Cissa would set up on occasion when the Arsemunch was out of town. Still, they both felt an obligation to try to reach out to Draco.

"He's not Dark, Xander. Not really. I can see it in his eyes when I check in on Harry. He wants out," Tonks firmly announced.

Xander pondered her words deeply as he sat on the park bench in the balmy summer night in London. "What does Aunt Cissa want?" he asked after a time.

"I don't know," Tonks admitted. "You know full well that divining her mind is impossible at times. It could be anything from wanting to discuss the Ferret, to congratulating your friend on her foray into darkness, to plotting to have me hurt, to wanting to have you gorge on her newest recipes for sweets and give your expert opinion," she added tiredly. "She just happened to mention you were on your way here yesterday during out random 'let's meet for tea out of the blue' invite from nowhere I had to conform to."

"Great," Xander summed up. "A true wild card as always. That's our Aunt Cissa," he said with a mirthless laugh.

Tonks just nodded her head in agreement with his statement.

"So, what do you say I treat you to those pints you wanted? I'll fill you in on what the Ministry PR guys probably filtered or censored horribly about ol' Boca del Infierno, and you can tell me about how your life has really been, instead of trying to condense things into your letters," Xander offered as he stood and held out his right arm.

"I think that sounds like the best thing either of us have said since I got here," Tonks responded with a wan smile of her own as she took his arm and they headed off into the night.

END PART 1


	2. Part 2

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 & 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

"Goddess, I can't believe I'm doing this...or that I've lived on the Hellmouth long enough I call out to the Goddess by default when I'm stressed. Next thing you know I'll be verbally sucking up to Merlin," Xander groused to himself the next day as he sat in a seedy Wizard's pub called 'Warlock's End' in a less than ideal wizarding community on the coast. Tonks had stayed the night after a long bout of catching up with her cousin, and had led him here after having him take a small potion to alter his appearance slightly as he waited for Aunt Cissa. 

Normally, if he was meeting his aunt, the routine procedure would involve a portkey trip with Tonks once Xander had taken a bus far enough out of Sunnydale that the American and British Ministries didn't get huffy, a potion to totally alter how he looked as he accompanied his cousin, and never leaving either hers or Aunt Cissa's sight as they talked in one of the smaller Black family owned mansions.

Xander had only actually seen Malfoy Manor once, and even then it was to meet his Aunt outside. They didn't dare leave a trace the Arsemunch or Moldybutt could scry about his visits and rail over later. After all, visiting with Tonks could be explained as trying to return her to the Black family fold and get an Auror in Moldybutt's pocket to boot, even if her dad /was/ a mudblood. Nobody ever said Death eater /sympathizers/ had to be perfect models of Moldybutt's ideals. That didn't give a reason for her to see her half-squib/half-muggle American nephew, though. As a result, Xander was old hat at the cloak and dagger routine when it came to seeing what Aunt 'Cissa wanted.

The pub he was in was one step above Willy's 'Alibi Room' back in Sunnydale, and that step was the lack of vampires drinking blood at the bar. It was a place a respected pureblood witch like Narcissa Malfoy would never be seen in. As a result, the Black family had secretly owned the place and had used it for business for generations. It was a meeting place Xander had used more than once to see his family, and he secretly thought of is as the Wizard's answer to the Mos Eisley spaceport in Star Wars. 'A wretched hive of scum and villainy' summed up the atmosphere nicely.

As a witch near the bar, thankfully far from his table, and that looked like she should be cackling as she recited the weird sister routine from Macbeth, tried to make eye contact for the third time in the last ten minutes Xander thanked ever deity and demon that watched out for him (though in his life he was willing to accept more demons probably weighed in on that scale) as he saw his Aunt arrive through the back door.

She was in disguise, of course, in this case with a potion that made her look like a purple-haired teenager not unlike a real-life version of Psylocke from the X-men, as opposed to her natural features that resembled the actress Rebecca de Mornay. Still, Xander knew her the second she entered. He had always had an unnatural talent to see through disguise magicks like that, ever since he was a child. Nobody had tried to explain it, and with the knowledge of the Hellmouth he was uncertain he wanted to know, anyway, but it still came in handy. Once their eyes met, Xander jerked his head toward the fireplace as he gestured with a familiar hand signal, which Narcissa returned before joining him there where they used a Floo network transport to reach an apartment in Ireland still kept under one of his Aunt Andromeda's aliases.

Xander stood back as his Aunt took out her wand to dispel both their disguises after carefully checking that they were not followed or observed in any way. It might have seemed paranoid to an outsider, but between the risk of being seen talking to Xander, and the natural talent for subterfuge in the Black Clan's history, it was little more than old hat to them both.

Once he felt the magicks in him fall away, Xander let a small grin come to his face for Narcissa's sake as he greeted her. "Hi, Aunt Cissa," he said with a grin that never reached his eyes.

"Alexander," Narcissa Malfoy replied primly as she inspected her nephew. "You look more like your Aunt Bellatrix everyday," she added with a tiny smirk.

"I'm sure Aunt Bell would flay you alive before committing suicide at that thought," Xander returned pleasantly.

Narcissa giggled like a society matron should giggle, which made Xander wince slightly, as she responded, "She probably would at that. After all, you don't exist to /us/." Her demeanor cooled considerably as she added, "You also look like you fought a litter of Manticore and lost terribly. I've never seen you so drawn and lifeless."

Xander shrugged as if his state of health was unimportant, and to him it most likely was, as he commented, "'Been a rough few years. I've had to toughen up to survive. That is what our family is best at."

"Yes, yes. I do keep an eye on you, you know. The Hellmouth might keep you mostly out of the eyes of our world..." the mother of Draco began.

"...but not out of the eyes of the Black clan," Xander finished with a nod. "I know the family's company line. Granny made sure there were spies to keep tabs on us in case Mom learned something useful enough to be acknowledged and de-squibbified on the nasty old Mouth of Hell. She also made damned certain you kept it up after she died. And Aunt Bellatrix kept the American Ministry from knowing we had a shameful squib and muggle-born secret in our closet that might benefit from testing. Heaven forbid I be born able to wave a funky little mojo stick and come gunning for her for revenge," he added with a snort as he sat at a table that already had a tea service and some home made sweets on it.

"I still say you should head to Ollivander's and look for a wand," Narcissa protested coolly as she sat down and poured them each a cup of tea.

"Mojo sticks and I are not on good terms. Nothing good will come from me screwing with Wizard mojos. All I'd get if I do have that kind of power is a chance to be a pawn for Moldybutt, or a pawn for his enemies. I'll stick to demons and apocalypses. I always know where I'll stand with /them/. Besides, I promised myself after becoming a thrall to Dracula of all people, that I was through being anyone's butt-monkey or man-bitch," Xander responded tiredly.

"Alexander..." Narcissa hissed in aggravation.

"Yeah, yeah. It's not like you could admit I'm family, anyway. We're disowned. Nothing to be done about it, blah, blah, blah," Xander dismissed.

Lucius Malfoy's wife shook her head in dismay at her nephew's attitude, before she let the subject drop. It would likely come up again, but they had much to discuss, and not much time to do it in. She had always liked Xander, privately. He was sharp and lively, but with that streak of icy fire that made her line so feared hidden under his jester's mask. The impressive list of major demons he had either dispatched, planned the eradication of, or thwarted for himself while putting the public credit on the Slayer and her ilk spoke well of how well he worked in the shadows. The fact he had done it on guts, cunning, and instinct alone, rather than through magicks, said a great deal of just how dangerous he truly was. Narcissa Malfoy had little doubt he'd do whatever was needed to get a job he had started done, something few people, muggle or wizard, could truly say. That was why she needed him with her now.

Still there were things to be brought up before she got to that point. "I see you like my new apricot scone recipe," she said with a happy grin as Xander downed his second one in a row during her mental accounting of his acumen.

"I have a sweet tooth. So do Tonks, Draco, and most of the rest of us. You know that," Xander defended. A part of him was deeply upset she had not made her homemade version of Twinkies she had developed after his description of the snack cake had inspired her years ago, but he was too polite to bring it up as he scarfed his scone down like a starving dog.

"Indeed I do. I have some of your little yellow cakes to take with you when you leave. I left them in the kitchen so I'd have /some/ of your attention,' Narcissa informed him. Her words brought a little of the light back to her youngest sister's son's eyes for a moment, before it faded out again right in front of her. "Was her breakdown really that bad?" she finally asked.

"Coupled with my seeing my former fiancé boffing a vampire that looks too much like Draco and your Dickcheese husband to be comfortable, said vampire trying to rape my Slayer best friend when she wised up and stopped giving it up willingly, a failed wedding I couldn't even invite any of you to, despite the fact you all would have been less disturbing than the demons Ahn invited, the death of one of 'my girls', and planning out who I'd need to bribe, beg, and kill to keep Willow out of that Alakazam place if the Ministry went after her after she snapped..." Xander began to ramble off.

"Azkaban," Narcissa corrected absently as she studied Xander's reactions as he related the trials of the last year.

"Whatever," Xander returned. "Anyway, all that on top of earlier weights is just getting me down. I strongly believe that if the Ministry /had/ come after her, then anyone but Tonks would have their forehead on the receiving end of my favorite battle-axe before I bothered to question why. I'm tired of playing nice, and my frayed edges are showing because of it."

"We all go through it from time to time, Alexander. Don't let it bog you down," Narcissa comforted sagely as she sipped her tea. She knew what stresses such dangers could breed. Her own life as an informant and spy for the Ministry in general, and Dumbledore in particular, made her all too aware of the factors that could mire someone too close to a fight. Not that anyone but Dumbledore and Tonks knew she was a traitor to Voldemort. Truthfully she only was one because she knew how to play both sides to the middle anyway. Tom Riddle's hard edges were going to cut him one day, and Narcissa Black Malfoy made damned sure to have an out in place for her and Draco when things came to a head if he lost it in his last push for power.

Xander nodded tiredly as he asked, "So what can your squib of a nephew do for you?"

"Squib? Squib my foot. Sqiubs don't survive overloads of Wicca based black magicks being hurled at them like waves from the ocean. Squibs don't suggest and direct unity spells to take out demon-pieced muggle monstrosities, either. If you're a damned squib, I'll get on my knees and offer fellatio to old Dumbledore himself the next time I see him," Narcissa spat with a fire only her sisters Bellatrix and Andromeda usually saw in their youth. She played the bimbo far too well to show the fierce intelligence and sarcastic wit she had imparted to her son in front of anyone but family. One needed that wit and mental acuity to survive as a female Death Eater married to Lucius Malfoy.

"Ugh! TMI, Aunt Cissa!" Xander declared with a look of disgust. "Geriatric men getting service from family is too gross to picture. Don't say things like that," he pleaded painfully.

Narcissa let the young man squirm for a bit before she replied, "Then quit acting like I'm enough of a twit to buy into your masks. Do I /look/ like a Gryffindor to you?"

Xander's only reply was to grunt in disgust again at the mental image his aunt had conjured.

"Now, as to the reason I've called you here..." she began after another pause to let him stew uncomfortably. "I have a bit of a confession to make. You see, for some time..."

"You've been spying for the Order of the Phoenix," Xander interrupted with a bored look. At her shocked expression, he smirked and continued, "Come on, Aunt Cissa. Every Death Eater up to the king Jackass himself thinks you're too dim and stuck up to tie your shoes without a house elf helping you. I /know/ better. You'd have an out ready. You're not into high level nastiness like aunt Bell, and you're no White Hat like Cousin Tonks or Cousin Sirius. You know how to play the angles, hell you practically taught me how to do it just by watching you set up meetings for us. The question is why are you risking yourself to confirm it?"

Narcissa looked somewhere between outraged and chagrinned at how easily her nephew saw through her, before she finally settled with shaking her head and chuckling at the situation. Xander always was the most observant of the family, and that was saying something. Merlin help the world if Voldemort had ever recruited him. Her countenance sobered as she answered his query. "Draco. He's nearing the age where he'll be forced to take the Dark Mark," she explained.

Xander snorted as he replied, "I know. And can I just say how weird it is Moldybutt waits until his minions reach legal majority to sucker them the rest of the way in? As if calling them Death Eaters wasn't stupid enough...", until he trailed off at the Look his Aunt was giving him.

"Now isn't the time, child," Narcissa Malfoy hissed dangerously. "The point is things are reaching their crux. We can all see it coming. I don't want my son killed in the crossfire between Lord Voldemort and the Potter brat. The only way to insure that is to make sure he's under the protection of someone I can trust. I want you to protect him," she explained.

"Why me?" Xander asked in confusion. "I mean, if you ship him off to the Hellmouth I might have some resources to tap, sure, but if you wanted him fray adjacent, then why didn't you let Puff go somewhere other than Hogwarts like he wanted to begin with?"

"I have no intention of sending him to the mouth of Hell unless there is no way around it. That doesn't mean I will leave him unprotected. I wanted him where I could watch him myself growing up. Now I want you to watch him further. As for why you? Because you're every bit a Black at your core as I am. You'd lie, cheat, and steal to protect Draco without a second thought. You'd bludgeon Harry Potter bloody with one motion, as you slit Lord Voldemort's throat with the other if it would protect my son," Narcissa answered with a wicked smile.

Xander rolled his eyes as he responded, "Like that's saying much. No offense, Aunt Cissa, but your nominal boss isn't as big and bad as he wants to be in the grand scheme of things. I've seen Big Bads, and he does qualify, don't get me wrong there, but I'm not running scared of his hype either. He knows about as much of the modern muggle world as you or Puff, and he has the arrogance to think that's not dangerous. Three properly placed remote claymore mines with the right demonic wards and curses applied to them and he's hamburger. A good rifle or pistol with proper ammo and he's a headless corpse. I'm not sweating someone who thinks the only threat to him is a seventeen year old kid he failed to off as a baby. That kind of tunnel vision gives you a life expectancy measured in minutes in my hometown."

"And that attitude is why I want you here watching out for Draco. You're a cold, ruthless, monster when someone threatens those you want to protect. Your cousin needs that support to make it through this," Narcissa replied.

"Yeah, well, tell you what. I'll have Sprite pop me in to see Puff and ask what /he/ wants out of all this. He agrees, I'll have his back. He tells me to take a leap while he plays big bad jr., then we'll play things by ear," Xander offered evenly.

Narcissa smiled in a way that was entirely unpleasant to anyone outside of her family. She knew full well that Xander had basically agreed to watch Draco whether he wanted it or not. Her precious child was as safe as anyone she could think of.

Xander returned her grin with one of his own. He had a feeling that, if nothing else, he could work out some of his issues in the weeks to come through some old-fashioned means.

END PART 2


	3. Part 3

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 & 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

"Hey G-man, how's our red-haired girl settling into her new regiment?" Xander asked with a joviality he did not feel as he met Giles that afternoon.

"Hello, Xander. And please refrain from using that infernal nickname," Giles replied as he cleaned his glasses compulsively at the young man's question.

"What's with the glasses wipage?" Xander asked in immediate concern; long Scooby-research experience with Giles and his habits had familiarized Xander with all the classic warning signs of trouble. The former librarian was displaying several with his posture alone, and the rag trying to change his vision prescription as the speed of the wiping increased only increased the young man's worry. "Giles?" Xander prompted when he received no answer at first.

"Y..yes," the one time terror of London's demon community stuttered.

"What. Is. Wrong. With. Willow?" Xander enunciated slowly and deliberately.

"Nothing," Giles quickly returned, which only earned him a disbelieving stare and crossing of Xander's arms. "Honestly. She's just interviewing with an...old friend of the Council's so we know the best way to proceed with her treatment. I suppose I just worry because it never should have progressed to this point. I...I should have seen the signs before and helped her better. Now, I need extra help just to gain hope she'll recover," he admitted finally.

"Welcome to my world," Xander returned in a dead voice. "Now, does this mystery interviewer have a name?" he prompted when it looked like he would get no more information.

"None I imagine you'd recognize, except perhaps through research in the library," Giles replied absently.

"So someone moderately book-famous then," Xander mused as a sliver of ice began to form in his belly. He could think of three names Giles might end up with he 'might' know from research, and only one was a good thing in his estimation. _Please be Aunt Cissa's friend Snape. Please be Aunt Cissa's friend Snape. Please be Aunt Cissa's friend Snape,_ he pleaded in his mind.

"Indeed. He's well, a wizard of great power and influence," Giles explained.

_Oh Goddess, no! It wouldn't be Potter, so it has to be..._ Xander replied in his mind as Giles continued.

"...by the name of Albus Dumbledore. He's the headmaster of a rather famous school for Witchcraft and Wizardry," Giles said.

"Huh. They have schools for mojo like that, huh? I'm surprised Wills didn't sign up Junior year," Xander replied, feigning ignorance.

"Ah, but as you well know, she was the wrong type of Witch to enroll so late in her education, and yet so early, Mr. Harris." a kindly and wizened voice broke in from behind the muggle construction worker and part-time demon hunter.

Xander tried not to cringe at the sound of the famous Headmaster's voice even as Giles looked on questioningly at the odd statement. "I beg your pardon?" the Watcher asked.

Dumbledore just looked on with a secretive smile, as genuine good humor danced in his eyes, until Xander finally growled under his breath and irritably replied, "My mom was born British, but they shipped her to the 'Dale when she was like five or six. All of her family are Witches and Wizards, but she's what they call a squib, a mojo dud basically, so she was disowned and forgotten. She's not even on the family tree anymore. If my grandparents were still alive, they'd sooner have spit on me than look at me. Consequently, outside of another disowned aunt and cousin, I have no family as far as Mom's side is concerned, and I'm not a big fan of them or their society. I don't like prissy bigots."

"M...my word. But, you...you didn't even believe in vampires, or know about the Hellmouth?" Giles responded in confusion.

Xander shrugged as he answered, "My aunt and cousin didn't even manage to track me down until I was thirteen or so. And even with everything I saw them do, I didn't trust them. Especially after I learned why Mom was kicked to the curb. My relations are not of the good. Hell they disowned Aunt Andromeda for marrying a mudblood wizard. He has powers and everything, but his pedigree didn't meet snuff, so they booted her. Until I met Buffy, and lost Jesse to the vamps, I was more than willing to stay away from the whole shebang outside of occasional visits and things I tried to convince myself I was exaggerating." His reply was a bit of a blur of the truth, actually. He was more like eight or nine the first time he met Tonks, who was a few years older than him, and he met Aunt Cissa when he was eleven or so. Still it passed on the needed information, and the sentiments behind it, accurately enough.

Albus had the grace to look appropriately embarrassed by the scathing words and tone Xander employed, after all he had every reason to be that bitter. "It is also why young Mister Harris tried to forget anything to do with Hogwarts, and why he refused to be tested for magick in a neutral area when I asked him as a boy," Dumbledore interjected.

"I really didn't want to want to play a game of 'which accident will finish me off to hide my family's shame'. As far as I wanted to know I had a nice normal life with Willow and Jesse. The rest of you could do your thing without me," Xander stated with a scowl.

The aged Wizard nodded his head in acceptance of Xander's words; they were nothing new to him, after all. "I have already given my assessment to the coven, Mister Giles. If I might, could I have Alexander escort me back to where I can safely apparate home? I would like to discuss some things with him that he might be embarrassed to share with you right now," the Hogwarts legend asked mildly.

"If Xander agrees..." Giles hedged in a somewhat protective tone. For all intents and purposes, Xander was one of his kids. If the presence of Dumbledore bred this level of animosity in him, then maybe it might be best not to let him be further agitated. The lad had been through so much after all...

"It's cool, Giles. There's some stuff about Wills I guess I should ask, and I don't speak Watcher or Wiccan well enough to dumb it down. I can walk old Bumblebee here back to where he wants to vanish," Xander replied. His tone was cold, but accepting. Besides, he needed to ask about Puff, anyway.

"Are you sure?" the Watcher asked seriously.

"I'm good. I wanted to visit my cousin later anyway while I'm here, so I might as well try to mend some bridges and stuff. I'll talk it out with you when I get back," the White Knight assured.

Giles nodded in acceptance of Xander's words and headed off toward Willow's lodgings with a concerned look, as the pair walked toward the woods to the north.

* * *

"So, what's your real verdict?" Xander asked in a professional tone left over from the long ago soldier possession. It was a voice meant for debriefings with both the brass, and with subordinates, and it gave away nothing.

Dumbledore sighed as he regarded the lad walking beside him. He knew Xander avoided most of the Wizarding world outside of his blood relations, but he never realized how resentful Bellatrix and her mother's actions had left him to them all. "She will recover with time, and careful concern. The coven knows their matters more than well enough to help her. It's her own desire to punish herself that will be her greatest obstacle to recovery," Albus said after a time.

Xander nodded in agreement. He could see the storm of loathing and self-recrimination building the second he had talked her down. Willow always had been her own worst enemy. "I figured as much," he replied non-commitally.

"The Ministry did want me to check her for the Mark. I won't lie to you about it," the elderly wizard supplied without prompting once Xander seemed ready to hear it.

"I figured that, too. She's not Dark, and even if she was, she's not yours to punish. I'll tell you what I was too nice to say to Tonks. I don't care of she's got an 'I heart Voldemort' tattoo on her ass and a 'Death Eaters are Fun' bumper sticker for her car, she's not yours to deal with. If they try to hurt her, they'll have to go through me, and I know way more about you and your methods than you want to know about me and mine. Anyone who hurts my loved ones better expect to come away bloody. At best," Xander cautioned in that same dead voice.

"You would have made a smashing Hufflepuff, lad. Your loyalty does you credit," Dumbledore replied as if he had not just been all but threatened with a painful death.

"I'm too sneaky for Hufflepuff, to dumb for Ravenclaw, too shady for Gryffindor, and I wont' kiss Moldybutt's ass for Slytherin. I never belonged there to begin with, and I made the right choice staying away," Xander retorted icily.

"I would argue every point you just made but the one about Severus' house," Albus shot back with a hint of amusement.

"As far as I care, I'm a squib," Xander declared back nastily.

"There's nothing wrong with being one. But I doubt those born without magick set spell books alight when they forget to suppress their power," Dumbledore responded.

Xander had no ready reply for that. The incident in question still bothered him; almost as much as anyone outside of Tonks, Aunt Rommie, Aunt Cissa, or Puff knowing about it did. "It's not important," he finally stated in a tone that said the matter was closed for discussion.

"Perhaps not for this conversation. I imagine your more concerned for your cousin than for the past. That is your way," the old professor agreed.

"I need to talk with him privately. That will only happen if I can catch him at your school in the next couple of weeks before you let out. I need to know his intentions," Xander informed the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Are you certain you're willing to surround yourself with us like that for this?" Albus asked absently, as if the thought was a random one of a man loosing his wits to age.

"Don't play Alzheimer's patient with me, Bumblebee-man. I'd go to Hell itself to give the Devil a wedgie if my family needed me to. Draco's family, no matter how much I annoy him. I need to see how he is personally," Xander returned as he returned to his professional tone.

"They've both asked you to look in on him," Albus stated in a much more serious voice.

"They both think it's coming to a head soon. This whole thing stinks like Sunnydale Hellmouthy crap. It probably even has a lame assed prophecy nobody bothered to mention to me yet tagged to Moldybutt and that Potter kid Sirius was so fond of. Frankly, I don't know, and I don't care. All I want is Draco to come out of the aftermath safe. If I have to bludgeon him with a shovel and drag him away from this to save him, I will. If I have to do what you and your Order refuse to and finish Snakeman himself off to save the kid, I will. If I have to stand back and let 'dear' Uncle Lucius get arrested when he screws up again so I can save him, I'll dance a happy jig as it happens. All that matters is that Draco is safe and has a chance to be happy. From what I hear, the happy part might be the difficult part of the equation," Xander replied without a bit of doubt in his voice.

"You'll side with the Order, then?" Albus inquired, a bit surprised.

"Hell no," Xander shot back definitively. "I'll get Draco fray adjacent, that's it. Finit. Done. You can both destroy yourselves and each other beyond that for all I care. Feel free to play out your little Magneto versus Professor Xavier fantasies to your heart's content wherever my family won't get killed for it. I already have war to fight, and the stakes are a Hell of a lot higher than one lame ass Wizard with delusions of grandeur that you're too wishy-washy to take executive action against. You're the ones getting munched because you send Aurors and Hitwitches to do a sniper's job. That's your damage. All I care about is me and mine. Let him win and see just what the muggle world is like when he comes for us. I'd love to see how long he'd last against a properly breifed special forces unit. It would be funny as hell if it wasn't so sad."

Dumbledore didn't know what to say to that. Alexander was being brutally frank in his opinions, and for the first time ever Albus was beginning to agree with the lad's decision to stay out of the Wizarding World to a degree. His battles against the demonic forces left him more scarred and dangerous than the Wizard had expected. Still, he cared deeply for his family, both blood and extended like Mr. Giles and Miss Rosenberg. Dumbledore could not fault that reasoning a bit. "I'll arrange something for you to visit in the next couple of days. You might want to get a room at the inn once things here are settled, though. To make it easier to reach Mister Malfoy, if nothing else," Albus finally offered.

"I'll talk it over with Tonks," Xander replied with a nod. He knew he had shaken the old guy up with his replies. Frankly he hoped it woke him up to what life on a portal to Hell really meant. If Dumbledore could pull his head up out of the sand, this all would have been settled before Xander was ever born. Instead, it's gone on for generations.

Dumbledore tried valiantly to smile at Xander once he said that, before he took out the slip of paper that was his portkey, and spoke the activation phrase to return him to his office. "Snickerdoodles," the old wizard said with a sad smile, one that bordered on pity and made Xander want to scream at him even as he disappeared.

"No good will come of this. I just freaking know it," Xander groused under his breath after a moment to fume at the idea of Dumbledore pitying him, before he stalked off to see Giles and Willow.

END PART 3


	4. Part 4

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 & 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

The tension could be cut with the proverbial knife as Giles and Xander sat in the living room of the cottage Rupert was renting as he aided Willow in her recovery. The young Wicca in question was taking a nap after a few hours of serious training, and some weak gushing about meeting someone as famous as Albus Dumbledore.

"Just ask already, Giles. I'm too jaded by it to get offended, and you're about five seconds away from making clucking sounds with your tongue," Xander finally began to break the silence that had settled between them.

"It just comes as a bit of a shock. You hardly seem the type to come from a Wizarding family, or to have non-demonic ties to the supernatural. You've certainly never mentioned before it in even the direst of circumstances," the Watcher began tentatively.

"Yeah, well, like I said, I try to avoid that end of things. My family and I don't tend to interact much what with me being an outcast child of a disowned squib and, ugh, Tony Harris," Xander replied evenly.

"I find it hard to imagine they would just cast their own daughter aside like that..." Giles remarked angrily.

"They sent her to the Hellmouth on purpose, Giles. I'd almost swear to it. Whether it was to get her killed, or to hope she'd find some kind of demon magick she could work, I can't say. I can say my grandparents and great-aunt and great-uncle weren't nice people. I can see them abandoning her there real easily. Hell, outside of Aunt Rommie and her husband, every other family member still alive in Mom's generation, blood related and by marriage alike, are Death Eaters or suspected Death Eaters. These are not folks I feel comfortable contacting for any reason. They made you and Ethan look like choir boys," Xander cut in.

"Good Lord," Giles exclaimed heavily as he wiped his brow in agitation.

"Yeah, well that's the 'Noble Black Family' for you. The Wizarding World's answer to the Corleones. Only I'm from Fredo and not Michael," Xander replied with a snort.

"That's why you wanted to come here. To make sure the Ministry wasn't involved in what happened to Willow," Giles declared with a hint of astonishment.

"Got it in one, G-man. Besides, I think there's like four wizard families that all live near here. I needed to know she was safe," Xander confirmed.

"Yes, I am aware of that much. I believe the Weasley family lives not too far from here. It /was/ something I could assure you I had checked on if I knew you were aware of them," Giles stated with a pointed look over his glasses.

"Feh, and yet Bumblebee himself was here to check to see if Willow had taken the Dark Mark. I learned a long time ago not to trust them and their world, Giles. Do me a favor and make sure you have a way to get hold of Buffy and Faith both, just in case. These aren't people you should turn your back on," Xander warned.

The look in Giles' eyes as he said that spoke volumes to Xander. The man thought he was somehow responsible for the bitterness that was drowning the young man's spirit. "Xander I..." he began before trailing off.

The White Knight shook his head ruefully and grinned at the sight of Giles' concern. At least the G-man had a genuine reason to care, and wasn't spouting off generic pity. "Don't sweat it, G-man. I've had issues with them longer than I've known you, and this has been a hell of a year. I just need to unwind, is all," he assured him.

Giles nodded at that, he could understand just how much the pressures could get to you fighting demons. PTSD was an all too common killer even among the most solid of the council.

After a time, the Englishman decided to try to broach a subject that might be worrisome, but still needed to be brought up. "Xander...Dumbledore did mention wanting you tested. I know being the child of a squib doesn't necessitate being one yourself. I don't want to offend you but..." he hedged.

"Am I a Wizard?" Xander asked in a tone that showed he had both expected and dreaded that particular query. "Nope. Do I have magickal talent? Probably. But I want nothing to do with them. I'll leave the regular Scooby mojo-ing to Willow, and the funky mojo sticking to my cousin Tonks," he declared with a small smile.

"You /do/ realize they can sense such things away from background noise like the Hellmouth, and you might have to register even if you refuse to practice actively," Giles informed him pointedly.

"I'm probably already in the system as an untouchable Hellmouthy guy or something. My cousin Tonks is an Auror, one of their cops. I can't see her neglecting to report what goes on with me. Cover it up from the general public? Maybe. But not ignore it altogether. Besides, like I said, I don't know and I don't care. If I want to unlock a door without a key, I can use a crowbar or a good kick instead of a spell. If I want to dust, I can get off my ass and get a rag. I want to come to England? I buy a plane ticket. I want to talk to someone? I use a phone. I want to get rid of a demon? I call you and Buffy. If not that, I get my axe out and start swinging. Frankly I live just fine without their isolationist routine," Xander responded in a voice that said he had thought about this all before, and knew where he stood.

"Quite," Giles replied with a small grin at his reference to calling Buffy or himself first. Giles knew full well Xander would handle his own affairs before he would endanger anyone else. "Like you called Buffy when you ran up against that slime demon tribe six months ago?" he inquired innocently.

"I had no choice there. I was the only one in the area. Besides, it proves my point. I'm here, they're not, and no mojo was used in the harming of those demons," Xander shot back resolutely.

"Indeed," Giles agreed with a small smile. If nothing else, his little distraction had lifted his surrogate son's spirits.

* * *

"You have to be joking, Albus!" Severus Snape raged in the Headmaster's office around the same time as Xander and Giles' conversation.

"Hardly, Severus. Draco needs someone to open up to, and if Narcissa and Nymphadora both wanted it to be him, it must be serious. Mister Harris is well versed in subterfuge and stealth. I dare say he could sneak past you without the benefit of an invisibility cloak if he needed to. He could visit safely and quietly for a time and see just where the lad stands." Dumbledore replied sagely as he popped another lemon drop.

"Albus, you're talking about an untrained boy barely old enough to be on his own that lives and works /willingly/ on a portal to Hell. One that refused to come here because he loathes most Wizards," Snape retorted coolly.

"And one that cares deeply for his family, with the possible exception of Bellatrix. I suspect that if a Death Eater in her own right and wife to Lucius Malfoy can reach out to her disowned nephew..." Dumbledore began.

"Don't feed me that rot, Albus. I've known Lucius and Cissa since I was a student. I know how bright she really is even if he has always failed to see it. I also know she watched the boy through her contacts, disowned squib for a mother or not. Once upon a time, I helped her make a few of those contacts. Which is what worries me the most about this. She wouldn't tip her hand like this unless she thinks my godson is in life-threatening peril. She always considered Alexander her wildcard for emergencies. Anyone who can take out a tribe of zombies basically unarmed and without magick is not someone to be taken lightly. If he ever learned to harness his magick He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would be on him in a second to either recruit or destroy him," Snape returned.

"I agree. I also think young Mister Malfoy would hardly benefit from following either his father's true path, or the razor's edge you yourself are resting upon. He needs all the allies he can get. Young Mister Harris will make for a staunch one indeed. We can't protect them all, Severus. We must not turn away when help arrives in any form," Albus replied evenly.

"I still don't know how you expect to hide him, Albus. He's too old to be a student, lacks the qualifications for anything but a new DADA professor, and can't be risked being seen publicly around Draco. This whole thing will be dodgy at best," Snape finally responded with a scowl.

"For the moment, I've arranged for him to have a room in the Hog's Head after auror Tonks arranges some proper cover for him. He'll loathe it, I'm certain, but it has to be done. After that, we will see how things play out," the wizened old wizard replied. "Care for a lemon drop?" he offered at the sour look of Severus' face.

* * *

Later that day, in the early evening hours, Xander met Tonks at a small cafe' on Charing Cross road.

"What? No way, Sprite. Nuh-uh, not happening. Forget it," he stated forcefully to his cousin as she smirked at him.

"Now Xander, how else will you blend in to a Wizard's town like Hogsmeade? You simply need the proper accessories like robes and a wand," Nymphadora replied with a wink.

"The robes I'll give you," Xander replied through clenched teeth. "But the mojo stick is /out/. I'll carry around a twig or something. I am /not/ getting a wand. Are you /trying/ to make me an obvious target?" he growled hatefully at her.

"Hardly," Tonks shot back with a less amused look. "But this is the only way you'll focus your aura enough /not/ to stick out to anyone with the proper eyes to see it. Crimoney, Alex, did you really think this would be like when we'd visit your Aunt?"

"I /think/ I'm being set up," Xander responded in a monotone.

"Maybe just a bit," Tonks admitted with a giggle. She sobered at his look and added, "I'm not saying you have to use it, just that you have one. Hell, I recommend /avoiding/ using it untrained. It could be damned dangerous."

"And just how are we paying for all this, hmmm?" Xander inquired in an attempt to stave this non-sense off.

"Oh, /honestly/, you aren't that foolish. You have at least six accounts in your name at Gringotts this very second totaling 1,500,000 Galleons altogether. Money the Ministry couldn't touch even if Auntie's husband ever fell. And that's only the 'laundered' accounts Auntie has in your name. Merlin only knows how many there are with the rest of the family," Tonks spat back, careful not to name names.

"So I'm a tax shelter? Great," Xander spat sarcastically.

"Well, the smallest one was set aside for you by Sirius when he found out about you, and Auntie opened the next one for you to use if you ever gave in to her wheedling about visiting Ollivander's. Here are the keys for those two, by the way," Tonks replied as she handed him the two keys. "Those two together only amount to roughly 7,500 Galleons," she further explained.

Xander did some mental calculations, something you had to learn to do quickly when ordering materials at a construction site, and nearly swallowed his tongue as he replied, "That's like 55 grand! That's roughly two-thirds what I make in a year right now as junior site foreman, and I have it for /spending money/?"

Tonks shrugged as she replied, "It's a good chunk of cash, I'll admit, but look at who set the accounts up. One spends more than that on any three shopping trips, and the other wanted to make amends for your grandparents when he broke out of Azkaban. You should see the accounts he set up for Harry and his friends. How a man that generous came from that woman, I'll never know," Tonks sniffed irritably.

"Who do the other three really accounts belong to?" Xander asked when he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"One is Puff's. The others are Auntie's. The Arsemunch knows nothing about any of them. Where he hides his family money 'isn't for her to know'." Tonks replied.

"Which means she knows, but he thinks she's too stupid to know, and she'll have it before he sees it if things hit the fan," Xander responded with a feral grin.

"Obviously," Tonks replied with a sly grin of her own. She may not appreciate the shady dealings her family favored, but she liked the thought of Lucius Malfoy getting his when he got his fool arse hauled in.

* * *

Three quarters of an hour, a trip to Gringotts bank, A purchase of several fine robes Tonks swore looked 'smashing' on him, and a lot of grumbling later found Tonks, currently sporting bright pink hair that reminded him of Oz, dragging her favorite cousin into Ollivander's for what she felt was long overdue.

"Ah, Mister Harris! You're here at last! I've been waiting for you for /ages/," the old man behind the counter stated.

"Imagine that," Xander replied in a deadpan, even as he let out a little 'oof' as Tonks elbowed him in the gut.

"Ignore his attitude, most of us do," she advised the proprietor with a wink.

"If you say so, Miss Tonks. And how is your wand faring? Still serving you well?" he asked pleasantly.

"As the day I bought it," the auror replied with a smile.

"Good, good. Now, then let's get started, shall we?" the kindly proprietor asked with a grin as he began to test Xander for a proper wand fit.

Twelve wands, three fires, two tornados, and a great deal of griping about not wanting a 'damned mojo stick' later, the old man came back with a box from the back. "Well then, let's try this one. Thirteen inches, ebony, strong and flexible, with a shard from a manticore's tail stinger for a core. As exotic a wand as I've ever made. Its odd looks make it seem harmless, but it's powerful and dangerous in the right hands," he explained sagely as he opened the box and handed Xander the wand.

Xander just groaned as he said, "I don't freaking believe this." The black wood was almost perfectly straight, and had a strange silvery discoloration at the tip. All in all it looked like a stereotypical stage magician's wand. Xander shook his head ruefully even as he waved the ridiculous wand, and finally showed he had a winner. "Only me," he said with a sigh.

"True enough," Tonks agreed with a chuckle as Xander paid the owner and stalked out of the shop with his stupid little mojo-sti...er new wand.

"Oh, it's not so bad," Tonks called out ad she rushed to keep up with him. "Look at it this way, now we just have to portkey over to Hogsmeade. Albus already paid for your room at the Hog's Head to apologize for this experience. I'll treat you to a proper dinner in muggle London, and then we can go whenever you're ready. You can even change in my room at the Leaky Cauldron and freshen up first," she offered.

"I will only dignify that with a response if we're going to that pizza place you took me to when I visited after high school graduation," Xander sniffed haughtily, doing his best to mock acertain Aunt /**cough**/ Bellatrix /**cough**/ with his tone.

"Done and done," Tonks agreed with a laugh, glad he was still able to poke fun. It meant he wasn't nearly as cross as she had anticipated.

END PART 4


	5. Part 5

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 & 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

The pizza was wonderful, just as Xander remembered it, but he would have enjoyed it far more if he wasn't being left in the lion's den without a safety net. Xander knew all of the obvious trappings of the Wizarding World due to Tonks, Aunt Rommie, and Aunt Cissa. That didn't mean he could function there very long without one of them. Still, if it was to protect Puff, sarcastic, _smart-mouthed little monster that he is_, Xander thought with a proud smile, then it was well worth it.

Still, that didn't mean he should go in blind or under-prepared. "Hey, Sprite," he said with a concerned tone as he and Nymphadora walked casually around after dinner, both a little leery to part for who knew how long from their favorite cousin.

"Yeah, Lavelle?" Tonks replied with a cheeky grin that illustrated the relation in them better than any family tree could.

"I've been thinking," Xander began.

"I hope you didn't strain yourself," Tonks cut in with a laugh.

"Ha. Ha. Witness my mirth. It is to laugh...wait, no it's not. You're getting lazy with your humor," Xander admonished playfully, which earned him a hearty razzberry in return. "Real mature, officer. Anyway, like I was saying, I've been thinking. And first, ow!, it did hurt, so thanks for your worry; and second, this is going to be longer than the week or two I originally figured I'd stay in the country, right?" he asked as he glanced sidelong at his cousin, who now had bright blue hair.

"Hmm, most likely," Tonks agreed, as she wondered what he was getting at.

"And I'm supposed to protect Puff somehow, at least until he's under his mom's eye again, right?" Xander inquired.

"From what you described, that's how it sounds. Heaven knows the Order won't work overly hard to protect the Slytherin son of the Arsemunch," she agreed somewhat shamefully at the thought the government would ignore a wizard's need for support over his heritage.

"Well, then, do you think we could apparate or floo or whatever over to my apartment in the States so I can gear up and let Buff and Dawnie know I'm going to be a while? I mean, let's face it, other than some stakes and whatever I can pinch from Giles, I don't even have any weapons. My inner Sunnydalian is cringing at that oversight. I at least want to pick up my axe," he pleaded with an innocent puppy-dog expression.

"Alex, I don't know if that's..." Tonks hedged as she thought about auror regulations.

"Oh come on, Sprite! I'm talking a few changes of underwear, an axe, and maybe a short sword and some glow sticks since I can't use magick well, and techie things like flashlights won't work at the school. Glow sticks are all chemical, so they'd work fine without even giving off heat or a scent the way candles do," Xander pressured with a nudge to her arm.

"Glow sticks...you mean like the ones you showed me that Halloween? I guess that might be alright. And I can't let you run out of knickers," she conceded with a sidelong glance at her cousin. _He really has grown up quite handsome. I wish he'd find himself a nice girl that wasn't a demon to settle down with. Too bad I don't know any witches his age that he wouldn't balk at, or that would freak out about his choice of residence_, she mused in her head.

"Sweet!" Xander exclaimed with his trademark grin, even as he made a mental inventory of what was already in his post-Glory emergency 'grab bag' suitcase at home. _Let's see, I have the Glock 9mm loaded with magnesium-thermite tracers and two extra 12 round clips, three flash-bang grenades, three concussion grenades, and four willi-pete's left. The twelve gauge is loaded will a full five rounds, plus one in the chamber, and there's a box of ammo to go with it, so that handles the biggest thing I could sneak past Tonks that would work on the Hogwarts grounds. The tazer and the stun gun will work as back ups outside of the anti-tech enchantment, at least, so I'll bring those too. I wonder if she'd fall for the dynamite that went 'missing' on our last site being a special type of chemical candles muggles use that burns longer? Ah, well, better not push it. I might as well keep the stakes and holy water in there, too; you never know when you need it. Ooh, and the Twinkies. I won't be able to buy more of them for a while, so I should add more to the bag_, he listed in his head.

"If we're going to your home, we should arrange a rented muggle car the next town over, or something. The American Ministry has an office for that that I can set us up with fairly easily. How about I meet you at your hotel room in an hour or so?" Tonks suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Xander agreed with a smile.

* * *

"Hey, Dawnie! Yeah, England's not too bad. So not bad, I was thinking about staying for a while. Yeah. No, of course not. I set up that account for you guys, end of discussion. Nah, it's no biggie. I have it covered. Believe it or not I have relatives here on my mom's side to mooch off of. Yeah. No, I made it up to mock you. I would not! Hey! I can come up with better ways to mock you than /that/, I'll have you know. Laughs. Yeah. Well, anyway can you let Buff know when she gets back from patrol? She's not? Ahn is actually /paying/ her to help clean up the Magick Box? Cool beans. Anyway, I might be a month or two. I...I just need some time to unwind. ...I knew you'd get it. Thank Dawn-patrol. Well now that you mention it, I /do/ have a male cousin near your age. Well, he's kind of an asswipe, actually. He can't help it; he gets it from his father. Well 'obviously I'm related to his mother, then. Yeah. Sorry, he's a makes Giles look modern technophobe, so I can't get you an e-mail address. Yeppers. I guess that's a stuffy Brit thing. Okay. So, how's training with the Buffmeister coming? Ugh, that bad, huh? Well of /course/ I'll show you more dirty tricks when I get home. We don't all have superpowers to fall back on, you know. Well she forgets, she /is/ blonde you know? No, I'm far too brain damaged to notice the varied shades of her bleach jobs. I've never seen her curtains to compare, actually. Just Faith's and Ahn's. Shocked Dawn! You could get yourself grounded and me pummeled for saying things like that, missy. Groan You've been around Anya way too long. Laughs Yeah. Alright, I'll see you in a month or two, munchkin. You are too. You'll always be a kid to me, no matter how hot you get. Uh, let's never tell Buff I said that last part, okay? Okay, you win, I promise. Love you too, Dawn. Bye." Xander conversed on his end of the phone as he reported in with his Dawn patrol.

* * *

In a cold and quiet manor on the outskirts of Edinburgh, a stately witch with long black hair and heavily lidded eyes has just finished a conversation with someone by floo in her fireplace.

"What was that all about, dear?" her husband, who had entered the room in the tail end of the conversation, inquired.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, Rudolphus. Just some banking matters in the family accounts that needed tending." Bellatrix Black-Lestrange responded with an air of authority that even scared her fellow Death Eaters. Only Lord Voldemort himself, who favored her like a daughter, did not flinch in her presence from time to time.

"I thought Narcissa dealt with all that. Well Lucius really, I mean. We all know Cissa's a good witch with dedication to the cause, but she's a little..." Rudolphus Lestrange began, until he saw the glare his Bella was giving him.

"My sister is still a Black, and you would do well to remember that, husband," she intoned imperially.

"Yes dear," Rudolphus replied before backing out of the room as fast as he could without breaking into a run. Bella was in a mood, and he needed to get some muggles for her to torture to cheer her up before she took it out on him.

"Simpering worm," Bella growled at her spouse's actions, before she broke out into a feral grin. He was entertaining to watch as he went out to try to divine her bidding, though. Still, she wished Severus was still in the Dark Lord's good graces, she mused with a sigh. _Sev always knew how to play the game so bloody well. I do miss having someone around too legitimately proud to be caught cringing near me. And not just that prat Lucius' belief he was safe as Cissa's husband. If only ol' 'Snivellus' could swallow enough of that pride to come home. Even the Dark Lord has enough mercy to welcome him back. He /is/ one of our best after all, and betrayal is a part of being truly dark_. she thought to herself.

Her thoughts of Lucius eventually brought her to thoughts of Narcissa. Thoughts of Cissa brought her to family in general. And /that/ musing brought her first to her killing of her cousin Sirius, and then to the report of which of his accounts had recently become active. _So the squib's son has come for a visit to our world, eh? You've already made such a name for yourself in a world even darker than my own, Alexander. Are you really the Noble Black deep inside that Cissa believes you to be? Can you play the game as well as I have learned to? And whom will you play for? Will you lick at that old fool's boots to stay near your mudblood cousin? Will you side unerringly with Cissa and her schemes she managed to hide from everyone but me? Will you prove worthy enough to join us here at Lord Voldemort's side as I have? Or will you simply spurn me regardless for following mother's edicts for my useless sister that was too lazy to embrace the chance she was given? Do you hate me, Alexander? I wonder? So many things you /could/ be in all this, and so few answers, my nephew that should not be. You are truly a mystery. One that I think I will enjoy unraveling. And if you cannot stand the pressure, then you weren't worth my time to begin with._ Bellatrix thought with a dark grin.

* * *

The trip to Xander's apartment went off without a hitch, from checking out of his hotel, to flooing to the car rental place, to driving to the Hellmouth to get his things. Nymphadora was content to look at all the muggle devices Xander had. She hadn't exactly been raised without any muggle gear; her father was a muggle-born wizard, after all. But Xander had so /many/ different things. His tele was larger and more modern than the one she remembered her grandparents having, and his music system was so complex. It was easy to be engrossed by the trappings of her cousin's life. Of course, the fact she was doing her best to ignore the many magickal, cursed, or demonic, and occasionally all three, items displayed around the place as knick-knacks that were left over from his fiancé', might have had something to do with it.

Finally she decided to see what was taking Xander so long as he came into the kitchen and grabbed three boxes of Twinkies from the cupboard and took them into his bedroom. As she entered, she noticed Xander was in his closet rummaging through his clothes basket for more socks, so she decided to peek into his suitcase to see what all he was bringing. If nothing else, she could claim she did her job as an auror and checked out his belongings for obvious contraband. What she saw brought a look of confusion to her face.

"Xander?" she asked inquisitively.

"Yeah, 'Dora" he replied with his head still buried in the closet and his arse hanging out.

"What are all these pipes and springs and things in the pouches in your suitcase?" she asked, as she looked them over again.

_My guns disassembled in case you came in here to check_, he replied in his head even as he answered, "I'm thinking of studying plumbing and mechanical tools to expand what I can do on site. Those are just some basic training kits for me to work on when I'm alone so I don't get too bored waiting to talk to puff," he answered instead.

"Oh," Tonks responded.

"Is it alright if I bring my favorite compound bow?" Xander inquired as he neared her with his recently retrieved socks.

"I don't see why you'd need it," Tonks responded.

Xander shrugged as he replied, "You never know."

"I guess I can look the accept something like a bow. Just don't shoot off any arrows unless you need to," she conceded.

"Groovy," Xander replied in his best Ash Williams voice, even if it was lost on his cousin. "Can I bring my chainsaw?" he asked eagerly.

Tonks knew enough to know what a chainsaw was and laughed at the absurdity of having one as she replied, "Certainly not. You goof."

"Awww," Xander pouted. "Spoilsport," he declared as he went to his dresser and started to arrange spare underclothes.

As he did this Tonks looked at his battleaxe, which was a single edged affair with a piked tip and a pin hammer to break open armor opposite the blade. It was a huge and nasty thing that should have been far too heavy and unwieldy for her cousin, even if construction work had filled him out. As she lifted it, she was amazed at how light it was. Did he use some kind of weight reduction charm on it? "Xander, this feels light. I thought you didn't use magick?" she inquired with a puzzled expression.

Her cousin laughed as he replied, "Mojo and me aren't friends, you know that. It's light because it isn't made if just steel. It's an acid etched titanium composite, that's why the metal looks so light. That blade if five times stronger, and ten times lighter than regular steel with nothing more than muggle ingenuity and a good understanding of metallurgy behind it. Times are changing. We're catching up," he explained with a wink.

"Huh?" Tonks asked in confusion.

Xander sighed as he said, "It's made of a lighter metal."

"Why didn't you just say that to begin with?" Tonks admonished as she realized what he meant.

Xander's only reply was to shake his head and mutter to himself about getting out of there before she got herself killed, and not belonging on a Hellmouth unescorted as he sorted his knickers.

END PART 5


	6. Part 6

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 & 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

"Are you certain this is acceptable?" Tonks inquired fretfully as she and Xander looked over the room that was to be his for a time at the Hog's Head inn of Hogsmeade.

The carpenter shrugged and smiled as he replied, "It's a step up from the basement my folks had me living in after I came back from my failed road trip after graduation."

"And after hearing about that wet and drafty hellhole from you, I never had a greater urge to hex my Aunt and Uncle into learning better manners," Tonks added with a frown.

"Ah relax, 'Dora. It's clean, it's not bugged magickally from what your check said, it's got a bed and a desk, and it's in stumbling distance of food and drink from the tavern downstairs. I've dealt with worse. Hell with that Initiative fiasco, I had Buffy, Willow, Ahn, and G-man living in my basement with me for a time. This is not of the big," he assured her with a half-smile.

"Well, if you're certain..." Nymphadora fretted nervously. She knew intellectually he was a good choice to check in on and possibly protect Draco. She just didn't want to leave Xander flapping in the proverbial wind here.

"I know you have actual work, both for the Ministry and for Bumblebee-man himself that needs doing. You don't have to baby-sit me, Sprite. I grew up on a Hellmouth, remember?" Xander replied with a wink.

"That's what worries me," Tonks responded flatly. "Someone might sneak up on you or try to push you around and end up getting in touch with a stake to the heart, or your 'inner-hyena streak' as you call it when you kick the stuffing out of some poor sap."

"You worry way too much," Xander dismissed. "Besides, this is a strictly incognito recon for our esteemed aunt, not a fight brewing. I'll be so quiet nobody will ever see me."

"From my experience, it's the ones you don't see coming you should worry about. Weren't you the one that told me that?" Tonks replied archly, but with a hint of a grin fighting through her countenance.

"Maybe," Xander replied with an exaggerated look left and right as if he were in a bad spy movie.

Tonks couldn't hold it in any longer as she let out a laugh and said, "Just be careful you arse. I don't want to have to worry about you any more than usual," she said as she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek."

"I'll be as careful as I ever am," Xander assured her.

"Now I'm past worried and have gone right to scared," Tonks commented with a smile.

"Then my work here is done," Xander affirmed happily.

* * *

Once his cousin was well and gone on her way, it took Alexander Harris all of thirty-seven seconds to assemble his Glock, a time that pissed him off as it was nine seconds slower than his post-possession best. Once his semi-automatic pistol was assembled, he changed out the load for one clip from the tracer rounds he used against vampires for more traditional, but equally lethal, hollow-point rounds.

After the gun was assembled, holstered, and tucked under his robes, he went about situating a few other surprises, including stakes, a few grenades, a Marine Corps style K-bar knife at his left ankle, and a few bottles of holy water. He idly thought of trying to strap his battle-axe to his back under his robes, but figured that that might be pushing it, even for him.

Once his potentially best defense against attack (mainly in the form of a potentially lethal offense), he decided to head to the tavern for a drink and to listen to the various conversations. From what Tonks had told him of the Hog's Head, it was the 'seedy underbelly' of the tiny community of Hogsmeade, and was run by Albus Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. Xander doubted he'd pick up any real information about anything like the Death Eaters in a place knowingly run by the brother of Voldermort's worst enemy, but it still didn't hurt to get a finger on the pulse of the area.

He was almost out the door when he remembered the one piece of his 'disguise' he knew better than to leave, but really wanted to do without. Xander scowled angrily at his wand where it rested innocently on his bed. I swear I'll turn the damned thing into kindling, or let Giles and Willow experiment on it, or /something/ after this is all taken care of, he thought nastily to himself as he picked up the stick and tucked it into the special pocket sewn into wizard robe sleeves that very purpose.

* * *

Fifteen minutes into his attempt to ascertain the feel of the atmosphere at the Hog's Head tavern did little more for Xander beyond give him an unfathomable hatred for the scent of old goat, and a desire to learn some method to turn off his sense of smell on command.

"All this wizard power in this town and they can't cast a charm to get that smell out of here? Willow learned to make her stuff smell good and still work within a year," Xander grumbled under his breath.

Any further attention Xander could have paid to the level of his disgust was cut off as another typically hooded figure entered the tavern. As with most of the people here, the new arrival had a cloak pulled up to create an impression of a room full of Star Wars geeks playing Emperor Palpatine. This one had a few major differences that set him apart from the riff-raff, though.

First off, he didn't move in a way that called attention to him. Most of the wizards in the tavern didn't want to be overheard or seen, and were so painfully obvious in catering to that desire that they stood out like sore thumbs. The newest arrival dressed in black robes and a black cape, however, simply blended in to the background of the room, effortlessly passing by the attentions of most of the clientele.

Another factor was something nobody but a seasoned demon hunter could pick up, or perhaps it was Xander's exposure to Giles and Ethan Rayne that made it so obvious. It was nothing you could put a head on, but this man was a dark mage in his own right. The way he moved reminded Xander of Giles and his toned down and minimal movements as he tried to train out the swagger and arrogance of his younger days as 'Ripper'.

All in all, it was fairly easy to determine who the newcomer was even before he came and joined Xander at his table. "Potions Master Severus Snape," Xander declared confidently in a voice low enough to not be overheard by even the most ardent of eavesdropper.

"Mr. Harris," Snape replied in similar tones. "You seem less than surprised to see me," he added conversationally, his tone betraying nothing.

Xander inclined his head a bit as he replied, "I doubted your boss would have time to come here directly after finally getting that woman the Ministry forced on him out of his seat as Headmaster. Besides, you're the only one he could send here with any chance at using discretion." After a pause he added, "You're also the only one I might leave here with."

If either statement shocked Snape he didn't show it as he sarcastically raised his eyebrow and sneered, "And to what do I owe such an honor?"

Xander seemed unaffected by the obvious attempt to intimidate and upset him as he shrugged and replied, "You're Draco's godfather. That means his mother puts a great deal of trust in you. More importantly, you're one of the few...very few actually, people Aunt 'Cissa would call a friend and actually mean it. That says a lot. She actually speaks highly of you. In private, of course."

"Of course," Snape agreed evenly. Privately, his estimation of Xander and his threat potential was growing by leaps and bounds. If he didn't know as much as he did about the young man before him, and his accomplishments, he would have thought Xander a guileless do-gooder that was far too trusting for his own good. The emotional masks the child of Jessica Black created were matched only by the ones his Aunt Narcissa employed for herself. "She speaks well of you, also. In private," Snape returned evenly after a pause.

Xander chuckled mirthlessly as he replied, "I doubt that. Even if she did trust you completely, she'd never expose herself to the degree of speaking highly of me considering my family situation. She's not as dumb as her husband looks."

Severus snorted in agreement as he fought off a nasty little grin of his own. If nothing else, it was clear he and this untrained young wizard before him shared an equal estimation of Lucius Malfoy's faults. "He has his uses. One often needs a big rock to cast the best shadows to do one's work in," Snape jibed easily.

"Calling Uncle Luke a rock is by far the kindest thing I could think of after some of the crap I've heard from Puff that he repeated word for word from that jackass," Xander confided with a roll of his eyes. "So I take it you're here to either brief me, or sneak me in to the dungeons?" he finally asked.

"How ever did you guess?" Snape snidely inquired.

"I'm a master of stating the obvious," Xander shot back in a deadpan.

Snape looked a bit confused at someone returning one of his remarks so easily and seemingly unaffected, before he regained his composure and replied, "You certainly are related to Bella and Cissa. They're the only other ones ever willing to match tongues with me," Snape admitted with a tinge of respect.

"I'll do us both a favor and assume you meant with quips instead of just running off declaring how I don't swing that way," Xander intoned in a voice as cuttingly sarcastic as Snape's own.

For the first time in years outside of time spent near Narcissa away from Death Eater business Severus Snape, the dour 'greasy git' of Hogwarts, had to hold back a genuine chuckle as he replied, "You do that." His demeanor was washed clean of the carefully concealed mirth as he got down to the important details. "Obviously, with only weeks left in the term, you can't pose as a teacher or staff member of any kind," he began.

"At least not in a huge public sense," Xander interjected easily. At the annoyed/curious look on Snape's face, he elaborated, "If a few students here and there see me around campus, I can just say I'm a temp aid to your grounds keepers/handymen. That there was no need to announce me because I'll be working mostly during the break when they're gone, and I started my job so late. It will explain my presence enough to any kids outside of my cousin, and maybe your current golden boy and any running buddies he has. As for them, one will keep quiet for obvious reasons, and I'll tell the others to mind their own damned business if they bug me."

"That's never stopped Potter and his little groupies before," Snape warned him.

Xander's grin was chilling as he replied, "I can be very persuasive."

"If you actually succeed, I may ask for tips on doing the same," Snape shot back with a similar grin.

* * *

The trip to Hogwarts castle proper was fairly uneventful, as Snape led Xander as far as a small courtyard outside of the school where he could observe the comings and goings of the students easily without being spotted himself before the Potions Master made his goodbyes to head back to his office to deal any questions from his current scores of pathetic dunderheads, aka any students not in Slytherin.

Xander stood there for a good while, carefully observing the young witches and wizards ranging from eleven to eighteen as they milled past. Even if they did not all proudly wear their individual house colors everywhere, it would have been easy to pick out where each kid went just from their bearings. Still, cataloging who looked to go where gave him something to do as he waited for whoever would inevitably show up to escort him through the campus so that he'd know where to find things.

Such mundane concerns went on the back burner as he saw his primary objective walk out of the main gate and head toward the Quidditch arena area with two young, well thugs was the politest thing he could think of to describe the boys, Crabbe and Goyle if his memory of Aunt Cissa's descriptions was accurate. They were the perfect proverbial muscle, which was strange when one considered that wizards put little stock, and had even less need, in the use of non-magickal physical violence. It seemed kind of silly Puff would have what amounted to a pair of, as an old Simpsons episode would have called them, 'hired goons' as his posse.

It was child's play to follow the Slytherin trio as they headed off toward Draco's Quidditch practice. Only Puff seemed to even glance around with any kind of concern, and it was clear even he felt far too safe and at ease here. Aunt Cissa would have pitched a fit at seeing her son drop his guard like that in a place with known rivals and unknown dangers as a normal part of every year. It was also clear Draco's toadies were only playing guard dogs for him as they left once he was safely in the arena and heading toward his locker. Obviously the pair lacked the quick wits needed for the favorite wizard sport.

With all the skill of a man used to things much stronger and faster than him trying to eat him if he was discovered, Xander snuck into the stands to watch the practice unobserved while Draco got into whatever gear he needed and headed out on his broom. The professional carpenter had to admit he was impressed with his cousin's reaction times and agility, even if it was being displayed on something as silly as riding a broomstick. Draco played the game like a man possessed, something Xander had personal experience in, as he shot back and forth through the sky at breakneck speeds to retrieve small balls his other teammates were tossing randomly to improve his hand-eye coordination.

Halfway through the practice, Xander snuck back out of the arena to where Snape had left him. He needed to map out a plan to observe Puff in several settings before he could gauge how to approach an actual conversation with his cousin. He was back in his spot for all of two minutes when a polite young voice cleared her throat from behind him.

"Mr. Harris?" the voice tentatively inquired.

"Yes?" Xander asked in confusion as he turned to see a young girl of sixteen or so, wearing Gryffindor red and gold on her neckpiece. The young woman had frizzy light brown hair, and gave off an impression that immediately reminded him of Willow at that age.

"Oh, good," the young woman exclaimed. "I'm Hermione Granger. Headmaster Dumbledore asked me to give you a tour of Hogwarts and explain some of our history here for your report?"

"What?" Xander asked, genuinely surprised. What the hell had that crazy old fool set him up for?

"I'm your guide to aid you with your report for the Watcher's Council archives. The Headmaster asked me to give you the introductory tour of the grounds and castle proper. I realize you most likely expected a professor, but well with the staff preparing for finals, and my current good standing in most of my classes, I was asked to fill in today. I hope that's all right," the mini-Willow explained.

Xander shrugged off any residual shock with casual ease as he fell into the cover story Bumblebee-man had left for him. "Right. Sorry about that, I just didn't expect /any/ student to be overly aware of my being here. I kind of wanted an un-prepped view of the campus and the student body, not a case of everyone putting on airs for me," he replied.

Hermione looked scandalized at the thought of ruining his 'report' as he explained, "I'm the only student to be informed so far, I assure you. We would never want to risk skewing a historical archive for such a historied and respected organization. I promise everything you see here will be the truth as it actually happens."

Xander smiled warmly at the girl's academic enthusiasm, and the memories it invoked within him, as he nodded reassuringly at her and replied, "Then please lead the way, Miss Granger. I look forward to your tour."

END PART 6


	7. Part 7

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 & 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

Author's Notes: People have been wondering just where in the HP timeline this story is set. Going by things I found to match it up in a timeline at the Harry Potter Lexicon, the story is set at the end of the fifth year (mostly because the sixth book isn't being released until July, and I'm too lazy to come up with potential filler for a full year). As of right now, Draco and Hermione are 17 because they're a few months older than Ron or Harry but are still in the same year with them, Ron and Harry are 16, Ginny is 15, Dumbledore is 152 and so on and so on. Sirius Black was killed weeks ago by his cousin Bellatrix (sort of, it was more manslaughter or negligent homicide than murder from the way I read it) in the battle at the Department of Mysteries; which I'm moving from the June date it was in the books to early May for the sake of my own story. I hope that clears up a few things for temporal purists (even if the end of fifth year was supposed to be in 1996 which would make them all a year or two older than Buffy, Xander, and Willow. ' )

* * *

"...and over here we have the Great Hall where we have the major campus wide feasts, including the greeting and year end speeches to all the students," Hermione explained as she showed Xander the huge room with a tone reminiscent of a tour guide.

"You're muggle-born, aren't you?" he asked with a smile.

Hermione looked startled as she gave him a wide eyed stare and asked, "How ever did you know? I mean is it that obvious? I try hard to study well and fit in, but people like Malfoy and his cronies still pester me over it. I just never imagined..."

Xander interrupted her fretful tired with a gesture of his hand as he replied, "You sounded like a typical muggle tour guide is all. I wasn't picking on you or anything. Remember I'm here from the Watcher's Council, the 'we work to fight against demons in the non-wizarding world' Watcher's Council. I didn't mean to upset you. It was just an observation."

"Oh," Hermione responded with a little blush at how she had acted. She was all but ready to go into a tirade about bigotry and picking on 'mudbloods' before he said that. She only felt worse when he continued his thoughts.

"Besides, I'm a 'mudblood' too," Xander added with sarcastic air quotes that made Hermione giggle. "Even my cousin calls me that, but he's been raised to be a jerk by my uncle, and I know he doesn't mean to be too cruel with it. It's just the kind of crap he was force fed growing up. Your Mr. Malfoy might be in the same boat," he continued, even as he thought, _or he might be the same person_.

After a bit of awkward silence, Hermione asked, "Are you a Wizard then? I mean, I know you're aware of the wizarding world, obviously, but Headmaster Dumbledore never mentioned you were a wizard as well."

Xander shrugged and smiled affably as he replied, "I'm sort of a grey area. My dad was a muggle and my mom was a squib who was disowned for being such...so I wasn't too up with joining the ranks of the wizarding world. Only two of my three aunts will even acknowledge I exist, hence my knowing my cousins at all. I have a wand and I'm passingly familiar with magick in general, but I live more like a muggle than a wizard."

"That's horrible! They disowned your mum?" Hermione declared, as her eyes developed a glint that would make Harry and Ron think of her crusade to emancipate all House Elves, and reminded Xander of Willow's channeling of her mother during the Thanksgiving of her first year of college.

"It's not anything to get worked up over any more," Xander dismissed in a tone he had used most of his life to try to talk his best friend out of her crusades. "I'm comfortable where I am in life, and my mom seems satisfied with her life," he explained, even as he thought, _yeah, her life at the bottom of a bottle with Dad_. "I found stuff with the Watchers and the Slayer that makes me feel like I'm making a difference. As for all of this," Xander said as he moved his arms to indicate the school and the wizarding world in general, "it isn't my world. I'm happy to have it be nothing more than an archive subject. Heck, I /turned down/ a chance to come here as a kid. Still, with my coming from a Wizard's family, I was the best choice to take the tour and give my opinions of your Academy."

He had to admit, he was rather proud of how well he was hiding in plain sight with only a half-assed story from Dumbledore that was not discussed with him before hand to guide him. His mixture of truth and fiction was perfectly plausible and easy to stick to because it was mostly true. Hell, he might even take some notes down to give to Giles just to make the cover story totally true...Nah. That wasn't going to happen. Maybe an interview where someone else did the writing, though.

"Well then, let's continue the tour then, shall we?" Hermione finally asked, although it was clear she was still bothered by what the obviously nice Mr. Harris had revealed to her.

Their steps were immediately halted as a grouchy and spiteful voice called out. "Hold on there! What are you up to wanderin' around like that, Ms. Granger? And who's he? You're not supposed to be fraternizin' with strangers on campus like this during the session! I'll see you in detention for this for sure!" Argus Filch snapped irritably, his cat Mrs. Norris on his shoulder.

Xander's friendly demeanor immediately turned cold as he looked at the caretaker of Hogwarts castle. This guy reminded him way too much of a fatter, British, Snyder. His tone was clipped and professional as he replied, "Actually Headmaster Dumbledore asked Miss Granger here to show me around the school since all the staff was so busy. I would assume that meant you are busy too, unless you're a trespasser that needs reporting, mister...?"

"Trespasser?" Filch snapped angrily, which made Mrs. Norris jump down in agitation at her master's actions. "I'm Argus Filch the caretaker here. I'm not a trespasser. Who do you think you are to accuse me?"

Xander's tone was that of a man who had faced things far scarier than this little man before him (including a little man named Snyder that was his high school principal), as he coldly replied, "I'm Alexander Harris with the Watcher's Council, here to compile a report and historical archive on Hogwarts in the modern area. As I said before, your Headmaster, as in your /boss/ asked this polite and kind young lady to show me around the campus so I don't get lost. I somehow doubt that's a detentionable offense. Now, if you don't mind, you're interrupting her attempt to do as the Headmaster asked. You want to harass someone? Bother him instead."

Ironically, as Xander was dressing down her master with both words and glare, Mrs. Norris had decided she liked this human and was rubbing back and forth across his legs and purring as she clamored for attention. A fact that shocked Hermione as she thought that cursed beast liked no one but Mr. Filch.

"I will take this up with the Headmaster, and if I find out you're lying to me..." Argus threatened as he began to storm off to hide the fear that had been building in his gut in the presence of this man who was not intimidated by him in the least.

"You do that," Xander returned condescendingly in a voice that reminded Hermione a bit of Draco Malfoy of all people. His voice turned flinty as he added, "And if you groundlessly threaten me or one of these students again, I'll see to it you're fired. Spiteful trolls like you have no place in a school full of impressionable kids. And believe me; I'm speaking from personal experience."

Xander glared hatefully at Filch the whole way until he was out of sight. Once the Snyder-man was gone, he finally bothered to look down at the cat at his feet and pick her up. "Hey there kitty. Look at you, you look like that jerkweed never even feeds you," he said gently as he pet the purring cat that seemed totally different than the regular Mrs. Norris. "Ms. Granger?" he asked idly as he looked up from the cat to the stunned Hermione.

"Huh?" she asked flustered. As she realized how stupid that sounded, Hermione gave her head a little shake to clear it and clarified, "Yes, Mr. Harris? Oh, and please, call me Hermione." Any man that could glare away Filch and tame Mrs. Norris in the same breath was someone she wanted as a friend.

"Then feel free to call me Xander, Hermione" the carpenter replied easily as he continued to scratch Mrs. Norris behind her ears. "Anyway, are the kitchens near here? Because this cat looks completely starved, and I though we might get her a snack before we head out for more of the tour," he explained.

"Oh, well the kitchens are just below the Great Hall. I'm sure one of the House Elves working there would be happy to part with a bit of fish or cream for Mrs. Norris," Ms. Granger responded.

"Who?" Xander asked in confusion. When had a married woman named Norris come into the conversation?

"Mr. Filch's cat. Her name is 'Mrs. Norris'," Hermione explained with a grin.

"Weird," Xander explained with Oz-like Zen.

* * *

A couple of hours later Harry and Ron were meandering through the hall of the castle half-heartedly. Well, Harry was trying to mope over the loss of his godfather, and Ron was trying to lift his best mate's spirits and get him out of his dorm room, but the result was half hearted meandering. "I still can't believe they haven't bothered to lift your Quidditch ban yet!" Ron exclaimed hotly. "We need you out there, mate. Sodding Ferret-boy has been practicing like the Quidditch cup this year will decide the fate of the world," Ron continued in the derisive tones that always sprang up whenever he thought about the Slytherin Seeker Draco Malfoy.

Harry had had just about enough of Ron's complaining. All he wanted to do was go back to his room and lie down, and here his friend was bringing up things Harry had no way to change (rather ironically ignoring the fact the same could be said for his godfather's death that had him brooding like a large foreheaded vampire). "The ban still stands Ron. That's the end of is. Besides, we'll do alright without me. You're a great Keeper, and Ginny's a right smashing Seeker. I know you'll do well," Harry assured him.

"But it's not the same, man! You should be out there! You've been our bloody Seeker since first year. I just can't see how Headmaster Dumbledore hasn't managed to lift the ban yet," Ron replied in agitation.

"It's probably for the best, Ron. I don't feel much up to playing right now, anyway," Harry admitted morosely.

Ron looked like someone had punched him in the stomach as he commented, "Oh god, I'm sorry Harry. Here I am rambling on like this and I didn't even think about how you must be feeling. I'm a right royal arse, aren't I?" the redhead asked rhetorically.

Any reply Harry might have made to confirm or deny that rhetorical question died on his lips as the pair walked past the Library doors and saw Hermione in there. Now seeing Hermione in the library was no shock to anyone. The fact she was talking to a young man in his early twenties and laughing happily at some joke he had made, however, was. She just wasn't the type to cause such a disturbance outside of the library, and she usually reserved her joviality for when she was with Ron and Harry.

"Who's that 'Mione is talking to?" Ron asked with more urgency than was really needed.

"I don't know. I've never seen him before. Judging by his robes, though, he's not a student. Maybe he's going to be a new teacher next term. We're going to need a new DADA and a new Muggle Studies professor," Harry suggested reasonably as he saw the pair walk further into the library after a small conversation with Mz. Pince, the librarian. A conversation that had the old vulture like woman smiling and blushing at something the mystery man said. It was clear to Harry Hermione was giving the man some kind of guided tour.

Ron's eyes and mind were nowhere near as clear as he darkly muttered, "That guy seems to be getting a little too friendly with Hermione. And he's way too young to be a teacher! I mean look at him, he can't be more than a few years older than she is."

Harry fought and failed to keep his eyes from rolling as he reminded Ron, "Professor Snape had only been out of Hogwarts for less than five years before he began teaching here from what Hermione told us after reading Hogwarts: A History."

"What has that greasy git got to do with anything?" Ron asked as he missed the point entirely in favor of glaring at Xander from the doorway.

"It points out that the man isn't too old to be a teacher," Harry explained.

"Yeah, well, until I know who this wanker is, I'm not assuming anything," Ron declared in an uncertain tone of voice.

"God you're paranoid," Harry muttered as he shook his head in mock dismay.

* * *

"Who's the redhead in the Gryffindor at the doorway trying to glare me into spontaneously combusting anyway, 'Mione?" Xander asked idly as Hermione pointed out some of the hest part of the library, in her humble opinion.

Hermione looked over her shoulder at Harry and Ron, whom she smiled and waved to. Harry waved back, even as Ron blushed and dragged him off down the corridor. "That's Ron, my fellow prefect. He gets a bit...overprotective of me. And that was our friend Harry with him that waved to us." she explained with a roll of her eyes at Ron's actions.

"Ah, teenage angst at the thought I'm trying to steal away his girl. I understand completely. I never thought I'd be the target of it, but I understand it," Xander replied knowingly as he remembered his dark thoughts about Wesley even after he and Cordy had broken up.

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing like that! Ron and I are, I mean we aren't, I mean it's just that it's..." Hermione began to protest with a growing ," Xander finished with a fond grin. "I understand how that is all over. Teenage life is full of stuff like that. Of course my teenage life was also full of demons trying to eat me, so maybe my perspective is skewed," he joked with a wink.

Hermione laughed at his quip even as she watched him with the rapt attention reserved for teachers as she asked, "So you've really met three different Slayers personally?"

"Yep. I was kind of a helper to the Watcher for two of the three. And by helper I mean I kept getting myself involved in the fight after I lost one of my best buds to vampires the week the first Slayer I met, Buffy, enrolled in my high school. It became a case of let me help research, and keep an eye on me, or have me get turned or killed patrolling alone. I also met Buffy's successor Kendra twice when she came to join our merry band due to prophesy, and the last Slayer came to us after her Watcher was killed by a master vampire named Kakistos," Xander recounted, as his eyes grew darker from the associated memories attached to the life and three deaths (two of which were Buffy's) of each Slayer. The memories associated to his perceived failure to help Faith back from the brink weren't fondly remembered, either.

Hermione saw her guest's demeanor begin to fall, and assumed she knew why. After all, to meet three different Slayers meant you knew two who had died. That couldn't be pleasant for the young Watcher to deal with. "It must have been hard to deal with such things. Doubly so without magick," Hermione commented respectfully.

Xander seemed to shake the memories off physically at her words. With most outsiders, he would have considered Hermione's obvious sympathy as a form of pity and been resentful of it. But somehow, this girl was just too Willow-like to get mad at. So instead of anger, he smiled wanly as he replied, "I learned to roll with the punches. The Slayers I've worked with have got at least four confirmed dead master vamps(Darla, the Master, Kakistos, Mr. Trick), a Hellgoddess, the Judge, a demon ascended mage, and a damned government funded Frankenstein demon cyborg all bagged and tagged that say we've been doing something right helping them."

"It is an impressive list," Hermione agreed.

After a bit of a pause to lighten the mood, Xander smiled and asked, "So where to next?"

Hermione's answer was cut off as another voice interjected, "The dungeon areas and potions room will suffice."

"Professor Snape, good to see you again," Xander responded amicably with a little wave.

"Indeed," Shape intoned coolly as he looked down his nose at the pair before him. "Headmaster Dumbledore noted that Miss Granger has Transfiguration lessons in twenty minutes, and asked if I would continue your tour, Watcher Harris."

"Sounds fun," Xander responded with a friendly air that seemed an anathema to Snape's cool detachment.

"Fun. Yes, I'm sure it will be," Snape replied in a tone that made the word fun seem like the vilest of curses. His disgust only mounted as he ground out, "I've also been...asked...to award fifty points to Gryffindor in recognition of your assistance Miss Granger. I suggest you make it to class soon before I'm inclined to remove them."

"Yes Professor Snape. Bye Xander, it was nice talking to you. Maybe I'll see you around campus as you do your research," Hermione said as she made her way out to head quickly toward her transfiguration class. Just wait until she told Ron and Harry that Snape was forced to give them fifty points! Oh how she wished she had something to capture the look on his face as he announced that!

"Well, then shall we head to the dungeons? I'm certain all you need to know about the noble tradition of the Slytherin house and our potions department will be something you will want to add to whatever Gryffindor propaganda Miss Granger fed you," Snape sneered.

"Lead the way, Gunga Din," Xander shot back cheekily as he gestured graciously toward the door to the library.

Snape stalked off muttering darkly to himself with Xander in tow. Irma Pince made certain they were both well out of earshot before her normally quiet library was filled with her chuckles. She had never seen anyone goad the Potions Master like that other than Dumbledore and McGonagall, both of whom had taught Severus at Hogwarts when he was a student. It was refreshing to see the nice young man wasn't intimidated or put off by Snape's brooding manner.

END PART 7


	8. Part 8

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

"You seemed to have a bit of a problem ditching the golden boy's groupies after all, Mister Harris. Miss Granger is one of Potter's primary shadows," Severus Snape disdainfully intoned as the pair entered his office.

Xander shrugged indifferently as he replied, "I guessed that when the Potter kid dragged off a glaring redhead I'm assuming was the another of his posse. It wasn't anything to worry too much over."

"The Weasley boy, I assume. I doubt his sister would have needed to be dragged off while glaring at you. Young Ron isn't exactly someone well versed in hiding his intentions," Snape returned with a derisive snort.

"We can't all grow up learning just when to keep quiet and watch our surroundings," Xander countered evenly.

"You hardly seemed quiet with our resident know-it-all. Although I dare say that had more to do with Albus and his off the cuff attempt at giving you proper cover than any failure on your part," Snape admitted grudgingly as he sat at his desk and motioned for Xander to settle into an empty seat.

The youngest living Black smiled a smile uncommon at Hogwarts outside of the Slytherin dorms as he replied, "It worked better than expected, actually. I developed a perfectly fleshed out cover that's easy to remember. Mostly because minus the me being a Watcher stuff, I just told the truth about my experiences with the Council and the Slayers, and deflected any and all credit to them like a good little neophyte Watcher. It will give Hermione and her buddies something to research that would come up golden if they managed to find anything, and gives me an excuse to be here for few days at least. I could have done worse."

"Thank Merlin you aren't just the slow-witted do-gooder you present yourself as," Snape responded with smirk.

"You don't live long on a Hellmouth without learning when to take a passive role in certain situations, and learning how to lie through your teeth in others," Xander confided in a factual tone.

"At least until you start making a name for yourself, anyway. You are aware certain demon circles happily name you as Ripper's heir apparent for more than just his role as a Watcher, aren't you?" Snape inquired in a similar tone.

Xander seemed wholly disinterested as he replied, "I've heard some things like that. You torture a few uppity demons for information after you discover them planning a hit on the Slayer's little sister and all of a sudden you're death's angel incarnate to them. They really do tend to go for the melodramatics."

"I'm sure it was blown entirely out of proportion," Snape replied drolly. "After all, it isn't like you're descended from a Wizard's line known for squeezing information out of anyone in their way," he added sarcastically.

"Point taken. Ironic that /they/ never knew my pedigree, though. It might have made things easier," the carpenter mused aloud.

"So other than being forced to let Granger impart her infinite wisdom upon you, what have you discovered so far," Snape asked after a pause.

"You mean besides the fact Draco has a pair of totally unnecessary no-necks shadowing him to Quidditch practice, that he practices at a pace that gives the term 'obsessive compulsive' new meaning, and that he's apparently an even bigger racist loudmouth to his classmates than he's ever been to me?" Xander asked with a raised brow.

"In my godson's defense, his practice and torment rates are more related to matching and antagonizing Potter than any real desire to say anything to the girl. I dare say he'd take the more traditional path a pureblood takes to muggle-borns and ignore her completely if she wasn't a close friend of Draco's worst rival," the Potions Master responded.

"I figured there were extenuating circumstances. Of course from the impression I got about how much Hermione and Draco must argue, you might want to make certain to keep them away from broom closets and other tight spaces while alone. As much fun as the heart attack Lucius might have from what could result might be, I don't want to hear about my cousin getting lynched," Xander replied conspiratorially.

"I'll keep that in mind," Severus replied with a roll of his eyes.

"**Heh** You remind me of Giles, Master Snape," Xander commented after a pause.

"I don't know whether to be flattered, worried, or insulted by that," Snape admitted after a pause.

"Go with flattered. It shows me why Aunt Cissa calls you a friend" the nephew of Narcissa replied. "Now, on a more important and relevant note, when do you think the best time would be to catch my cousin alone to talk to him?" he asked a moment later.

Snape mulled the inquiry over for several seconds before he replied, "Approximately an hour from now when he comes back from Quidditch practice. His so called friends don't bother to escort him back to the dungeons because he returns with the rest of the team, and he usually breaks off to avoid Miss Parkinson for as long as possible."

"Parkinson, eh? Does little Drakkie have a girlfriend?" Xander inquired slyly.

Snape snorted as he responded, "More like what you Americans would call a stalker. Miss Pansy Parkinson seeks to improve her standing among other pure bloods the old fashioned way. By marrying up into a more esteemed family. Draco has the misfortune of being related to two such families. She's determined to force the issue no matter how short he is with her."

"Ah" Xander replied with an heir of understanding. "A 'Harmony' rather than a girlfriend then. Poor kid," he mused sympathetically.

"A 'Harmony'?" Snape inquired.

"Harmony Kendall. A muggle in my year of high school that sounds like she was cut from similar cloth to your Pansy. She ended up a vampire and 'love interest' interestingly enough to a vamp called Spike that looks like a lost relative of Lucius and Draco. My friends and I decided as a whole she was the most annoying tag-along sheep in existence and should have been staked on sight /before/ she ever became a vampire," Xander explained.

"I've heard more than one of my own Slytherins, including young Mister Malfoy, suggest far less noble fates for Ms. Parkinson when she's in a particular snit. There are days I miss the freedom of my time as a student with a few well placed hexes to use over my stature now as the House Master," Snape responded with a derisive snort.

* * *

"So who was the wanker in the library, 'Mione?" Ron asked the moment he saw Hermione after her class.

"Ronald Weasley, how dare you use language like that and insult someone you don't even know!" Hermione admonished hotly

Before Ron could say anything else to get the bushy haired prefect into a more pronounced mood, Harry hurried to his side and cuffed him lightly on the back of his head. "I thought we agreed to be tactful and ask nicely, Ron," the-boy-who-lived spat in exasperation. "Sorry, Hermione. He got away before I could grab him. You know how he gets" Harry apologized after giving Ron a stern glare.

"It's alright, Harry. You're not supposed to be his keeper. At least not /all/ the time," Hermione teased with a put-upon sigh.

Harry gave a sickly variation of what would have normally been a good-natured chuckle as he responded, "Yeah, I have to trade off with you when I can. And occasionally I let Ginny have a go. She has more practice keeping him in line than we do, after all."

"How very true," Hermione agreed with a smile.

"Hey!" Ron protested loudly as he began to blush to the tips of his ears.

This earned a small laugh from the entire golden trio as the tension of Ron's blatant jealousy was drained off. Once they settled down, they walked off down the hall toward their house common room. "So, who /was/ the guy you were showing around earlier?" Harry asked after a while.

"Hmmm? Oh! Well, I'm not really supposed to say..." Hermione hedged uncertainly.

"Oh come on, 'Mione. We won't spread it around, and it's the only way to calm Ron down before his head explodes," Harry implored as he glanced at Ron, who was getting red again.

"Oh, all right. But you both better keep it to yourselves," Hermione warned after a moment of consideration. "His name is Alexander Harris, and he's here from the Watcher's Council to put together a report and historical perspective piece about Hogwarts in the modern era. Headmaster Dumbledore asked me to show him around the school because the Professors are all getting their O.W.L. and N.E.W.T.S. material together to test us. I gave him a tour of the campus until Professor Snape took him off my hands to make sure Slytherin got their say in his report," Hermione reported.

"Greasy git," Ron muttered reflexively under his breath at the mention of the Potions Professor. "Probably doin' all he can to make Gryffindor sound like a bunch of goits."

Harry looked like he really wanted to agree with Ron there, but knew Hermione would get upset at their bashing of a professor as she always did, so he held his tongue. Instead he asked a more important question "What's the Watcher's Council?"

Both Hermione and Ron looked at him like he was nutters before they launched into an explanation of the Council, the Slayer, and the world of supernatural creatures not truly related to the Wizarding World.

"Wait, wait, wait. If there's a group in place to stop major threats like this, why aren't they helping us with You-Know-Who?" Harry finally asked after he got the gist of their explanation.

"Well, mostly politics. From what my father's said from time to time, Minister Fudge won't ask for help from a muggle like the Slayer whenever anyone suggests it, and the Council won't get too heavily involved Wizarding World because they have quite a bit to handle already with demons that avoid us like mad," Ron explained sheepishly.

"So we have to try to struggle through this without extra help used to this kind of fight because Fudge is a sodding idiot too proud to admit he's a wanker?" Harry angrily inquired.

"Like that's really news to anyone?" Ron darkly asked back.

* * *

Draco scanned the hallway surreptitiously for a pug-nosed blonde land barnacle named Pansy as he fell behind the rest of the team and headed for the Potions room. His godfather Professor Snape had taken to letting the young Malfoy heir have a few minutes respite in his office after practice if he could get there undetected.

The platinum blonde youth let out a sigh of relief as he entered the Potions room and headed to Snape's office. He had made it. He was safe for now.

His ruminations on how he could relax within his slightly extended respite were cut off abruptly; however, as a peculiar and hardly unfamiliar tune began haunt the air from a dark corner of the room.

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

Little Xander Harris loved that rascal Puff

And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff, oh

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

Together they would travel on boat with billowed sail

Xander kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail

Noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came

Pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name, oh

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys

Painted wings and giant's rings make way for other toys.

One grey night it happened, Xander Harris came no more

And Puff that /tiny/ dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow/white hair/ fell like rain

Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.

Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave

So, Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave, oh

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

"b..bu...bloody hell," Draco exclaimed in shock.

END PART 8


	9. Part 9

Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 and 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

* * *

"b..bu...bloody hell," Draco exclaimed in shock.

"Why yes, that is where I live still. Thanks for asking, squirt," Xander replied with a sly grin.

"_Xander? _What in the hell are you doing here? How in the name of Merlin did you get here?" Draco responded with utter disbelief.

The only son of the youngest Black sister shrugged indifferently as he replied, "Well, I came to see you, first of all. As for getting here, I arrived in the country by airplane; you know those muggle metal dragons, I think you called them when I described them? Then I met Dora, had a few pints, flooed home, flooed back, got a room, and headed here."

"That's not what I meant you miserable mudblood prat! I meant what are you doing here in Hogwarts! Not to mention in my Potions lab, a lab run by a man my _father_ calls a close enough friend to name him my godfather," Draco hissed as he stalked up to the carpenter in an attempt at discretion by being able to lower his voice.

The elder nephew of Andromeda Black seemed unaffected by the urgency in Draco's eyes as he shook his head and responded, "Think for a minute, Puff. How would I even get here if Master Snape didn't know about it? In the school, definitely. The security here sucks. In the classroom of a man smart enough that Aunt Cissa asks him for favors when needed? I'm not that sneaky. So don't worry your widdle pwurbwudded heb about it. This won't get back to that wrinkly lizard man you daddy dearest spends his time sucking up to," his tone reducing to baby talk to mock the young Malfoy heir.

Draco looked incredulous and disgusted as he sneered, "You actually trust Snape without knowing him? Now who isn't thinking?"

"Trust him with giving two shits about my life? No way. Trust someone your mom would _allow _your arsemunch old man to name as your godfather to not say anything that could put _you_ in danger? Especially when he could get blamed for me arriving here in the first place? That's a little bit more secure," Xander replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Yes, well, that is a different spin on it, I suppose," Draco replied a bit flustered as he thought about what Xander had said.

As for the White Knight himself, he was trying not to roll on the floor laughing. Draco's tone and mannerisms so closely mirrored Giles' when he had the air let out of the sails of a pet theory of his that Xander had to suppress the desire to take the boy out to shop for a new tweed coat.

Draco's ruminations finally ended as he sneered and crossed his arms in a huff and tried to look down his nose at Xander and said, "That still doesn't explain _why_ you're here, mudblood."

"Considering your godfather's and Sprite's pedigree, I'd watch the insults, little man," Xander shot back without a hint of caring one way or another about the emergence of Draco's inner Lucius. "Particularly with someone who has swiped your wand and noogied you until you cried mercy the last time you tried to intimidate him. You're neither too old for a noogie, nor an atomic wedgie if you get too rude. And Dobby isn't at Aunt Cissa's side to get you loose this time. We do remember the atomic wedgie, don't we Puff?" the so called Zeppo asked with a leering grin that was far more intimidating that Draco could achieve. In fact, the platinum blonde would swear in private that it was getting up there with Severus and Aunt Bella in the intimidation range. Hellmouth living had really sharpened his only male first cousin's edge as of late.

Any reply Draco could have formed in conjunction with his worried shake and sudden cold sweat was interrupted as an audible POP was heard followed by a squeaky, "Isses someone callin' for Dobby?" as the aforementioned former Malfoy family house elf, now in the employ of Hogwarts as a free elf, appeared. He scanned the room nervously as he asked. Master Snape was usually curt and precise, as he had been when he had visited the Bad Old Master as well, but he didn't like to kick or hex Dobby, and he at least gave a nod of satisfaction when matters were tended to his liking. Dobby's inspection of the room revealed the bad young former master, then someone that made the creature squeal with delight as he ran up and grafted himself to his leg.

"Good Master Alexander LaVelle!" the house elf squealed, careful to use the exact pronunciation the bad young Master had taught him was the good Master's proper name. It was one of the few times Draco was kind to Dobby as he made certain the elf gave his cousin the proper respect. After all, the good Master talked kindly to Dobby before even Mr. Harry Potter had, and he gave him treats at tea.

"Dobby?" Xander asked with a confused glance at Draco. Aunt Cissa rarely mentioned house elves beyond ordering them to do something, so he had no idea why the creature was there. As far as Xander knew students weren't allowed personal servants at school.

Draco looked irritatingly smug at the thought that he had information Xander lacked, and he basked in that bit of personal glory for a few seconds before he snorted and replied, "Potter tricked father into releasing the little wretch our second year by hiding a sock in a book that father handed to Dobby."

"Which means he gave him clothes and was set free. Nice bit of out of the box thinking. Maybe the kid should have been put in Slytherin. It would have prepped him better for whatever crap the old man has cooked up for him," Xander responded with an approving nod. It was the kind of thing Xander himself would have pulled, something you never saw coming until it bit you in the ass.

"I'll ignore that drivel as you being too close to an infernal portal for too many years. It has obviously rotted out your brain," Draco informed Xander derisively. "If not for the sake of ignoring the plans of that muggle loving old fool, then for the sake of preserving our house from the mere implications of such an indignity."

Xander's response was a simple one. He shook his head sadly and said, "I need to get you out of this country. Your going from talking like Giles to talking like Wesley. I think it's your brain that's rotted out."

Dobby wanted desperately to inform Master Alexander LaVelle that Draco was truly already rotten to the core, but he thought better of it. He may have been a retainer of the Malfoy family, but he understood just as well as that horrible elf Kreacher just what the family bonds of the Great and Noble House of Black were. It simply wouldn't do to insult the youngest of the family, even if ti was true. "Isses Master Alexander LaVelle wanting something from Dobby? Headmaster Dumbledore sir said that we house elves is to be getting Master Alexander LaVelle anything he is wanting while he's here for his work. Dobby would be most honored to serve the kind Master anything he is wanting."

"Well, I actually mentioned you while remembering that summer nine years ago, Dobby, but it's nice to see that you found yourself a good place. I think we're fine for right now," Xander responded kindly.

Dobby smiled widely at Xander one more time at that declaration, before he directed a glare at Draco, then disappeared with another pop .

"Must you patronize that traitorous little worm like that?" Draco sneered in a tone just short of a whine.

"Wanting to get away from the way your father treated anything he had power over isn't something to get upset over, Drakkie," the White Knight replied.

"So, oh wonderful, cousin. Just how is it that the old coot knows you're here and is allowing house elves to serve you? I thought you could sneak in anywhere by Severus' rooms?" Draco spat.

Xander smiled as he replied, "Officially, I'm a junior Watcher here to do a perspective piece for the archives on Hogwarts in the modern world. Unofficially, I'm here to talk to you about your options and try to save you from Lucius' stupidity. Unless, of course, you're looking forward to your boss new tattoo over the coming summer?" Xander responded his voice going emotionless as he evaluated his cousin's reaction. The sudden paleness and fear that ghosted across the boy's countenance for a fraction of a second practically made Xander want to break out into song. The 'bludgeon him with a shovel and drag him off in the middle of the night' plan might not be needed after all.

Of course, that isn't to say that Puff's shields weren't at maximum the second the words left Xander's mouth. "How dare you talk about my father like that. He's a great man, a great WIZARD and you are simply..."

"A free man. As opposed to old Uncle Luke, who is currently in a holding cell pending whatever formal trial they need to put him away for life. I told you I talked to 'Dora. The papers might be keeping it quiet, but I know he was caught licking Moldybutt's ass the wrong way at the wrong time. Money won't buy him out of his own personal Nuremberg twice. Doubly so when he was caught in a forbidden government building while attacking school kids. So stop trying to parrot his racist crap and talk to me like an adult for once," Xander replied evenly.

"Why you miserable, self-centered, Gryffindor-ish MUDBLOOD!" Draco screeched hotly. Any further verbal abuse was cut off as Xander slapped him right in the face, staggering the boy.

"I said this wasn't the time to play, little snake. Daddy and his stupidity aren't the issue here. It's his _Master_ I'm concerned with. You know the Dark Lord your noble father was kneeling to for the whole of your life. Like a good _servant_," Xander sneered ruthlessly.

Draco looked physically ill at Xander's words. They certainly hurt more than the slap to keep him from falling off into a state of hysteria. "You have no concept of what we had to do. What my father chose..." Draco began.

"Do you want to be a Death Eater?" Xander interrupted.

"**_What_**?" Draco demanded in alarm.

"Do. You. Want. To. Be. A. Death. Eater? I didn't stutter, Draco," Xander returned.

"Are you _insane_? Asking something like that of me? _Here_?" the young wizard emphasized.

"Probably yes to the crazy. I'm here for trying to help _you, _after all," Xander shot back. "As for the location, it's probably the least likely to be monitored. Snape seems the type to ward against listening in from Bumblebee man, and it would look suspicious as hell for your dad's buddies to check on him here. Oh, don't look at me like that. You think I'd talk this openly without a damn good idea of what's going on here? That Aunt Cissa would invite me to see you through someone that would hurt either of us for talking? Where are all those Slytherin brains and cunning I hear so much about. This is the only place you should let your guard slip, Draco. Not walking off to the Quidditch pitch."

"Mum sent you. Of course she did. NOW she's ready to interfere again. She couldn't send me to Durmstrang like I wanted to. She just had to interfere. She couldn't arrange to cover father's arse, so she summons _you_. Well, oh wise one. What do you have to impart on me? What wisdom will you show this lowly wizard?" Draco sarcastically pleaded.

"I'd do my Karnac impression, but your humor is severely limited and would never survive such genius," Xander sniffed in response to Draco's sarcasm. "As for how we play this, that depends on the answer to your question. Do you want to be a Death Eater?"

Draco huffed disgustedly as he sneered and spat, "What do you think?"

"Because I asked you. Now Do you?" Xander replied coldly.

"Grrr...just shut the hell up," Draco replied.

"Do you?" Xander pressed.

"Leave me alone!" Draco snapped

"Do you!"

"Quit asking me that!" the young wizard raged.

"DO YOU?" Xander restated.

"SHUT UP!" Draco shouted.

"**DO YOU?**" Xander pressed.

"I DON"T KNOW!" Draco finally admitted. "I don't bloody know alright! Is that what you want to hear you wanker? That I can't decide where I stand? That as much as the politics and words sound right, they don't mesh with what I've seen growing up? That the thought of torturing some stupid hapless muggle does nothing to help the magical world and the thought makes me ill? Is that what you're fishing for? That I don't want to murder on command? That I don't think I can cold-bloodedly murder people at all? IS THAT WHAT YOU DAMN WELL WANTED TO HEAR?"

"I just wanted an answer. Now you have to ask the questions, Puff. I'll be here for most of the end of the term when you have some answers. If not there, I'm staying at that stinking dive the Hog's Head in town at night. You started to think. Now you have to figure out what you're thinking _of._" Xander said with a smile as he started to head for the door of the room at a casual pace.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked in confusion.

"Old school technique I figured out a long time ago, Puff. When your world turns upside down and shit happens, take a few hours to let it settle before you do anything as long as nobody's about to die and the world isn't ending. Words to live by, I guess. Oh, and kicking trashcan helps too when there isn't a vampire around to annoy. See you soon, runt," Xander replied as he ruffled Draco's hair playfully on his way out. "Oh, and good luck avoiding that Pansy chick. Snape filled me in. You have me deepest condolences."

And with that, he walked out the door and was gone, leaving properly asked questions, and time to think about the answers.

END PART 9


End file.
